I Just Watched...

[txfilmfan]

Topsy-turvy PM screen tests. Burr as Burger. William Hopper as Mason. And Burr as Mason...

[Hibi]

WILD!!!! Hopper was a lot slimmer too, there.

[kingrat]

For Day of the Locust fans: a digitally restored version will be shown on May 25 at the Camelot Theater in Palm Springs, with Dave Karger hosting. This increases the chances that Day of the Locust will be shown on TCM and in other outlets.

[Lorna]

Topsy-turvy PM screen tests. Burr as Burger. William Hopper as Mason. And Burr as Mason...

OH WOW, thanks!

initial thoughts:

1. they write "BUGER" in for "BURGER" twice. It was hilarious both times.

2. RAYMOND BURR never once OPENED HIS EYES SO WIDE in all 8 seasons of MASON as he does at least twice in his screen test as BURGER- once when speculating that his putting an innocent man on death row would lead to sleepless nights- which is maybe where the DARK CIRCLE IDEA started- because let's face it, we all know BURGER sent at least four dozen guys who were innocent to death row.

3. HOPPER is slimmer, but he's not good, and he keeps looking off to the side which is seriously distracting. ALSO, RAY COLLINS blows him off the screen- I don't think it's intentional- he's just THAT GOOD, he was EVEN CRANKIER as TRAGG in the screen tests!!!

4. I LIVE FOR THE ACTRESS IN MINK PLAYING DELLA opposite Hopper. I am glad they went with BARBARA HALE, but I also like to think that this lady SNATCHED THAT MINK in LIEU OF HER DAILY WAGE for being a stand-in and MADE IT SAFELY OFF THE LOT.

5. the lady who reads with HOPPER as MASON and BURR as MASON is not only GORGEOUS, but a really compelling performer.

[Hibi]

For Day of the Locust fans: a digitally restored version will be shown on May 25 at the Camelot Theater in Palm Springs, with Dave Karger hosting. This increases the chances that Day of the Locust will be shown on TCM and in other outlets.

Here's hoping!!!! Great news.

[Hibi]

Topsy-turvy PM screen tests. Burr as Burger. William Hopper as Mason. And Burr as Mason...

OH WOW, thanks!

initial thoughts:

1. they write "BUGER" in for "BURGER" twice. It was hilarious both times.

2. RAYMOND BURR never once OPENED HIS EYES SO WIDE in all 8 seasons of MASON as he does at least twice in his screen test as BURGER- once when speculating that his putting an innocent man on death row would lead to sleepless nights- which is maybe where the DARK CIRCLE IDEA started- because let's face it, we all know BURGER sent at least four dozen guys who were innocent to death row.

3. HOPPER is slimmer, but he's not good, and he keeps looking off to the side which is seriously distracting. ALSO, RAY COLLINS blows him off the screen- I don't think it's intentional- he's just THAT GOOD, he was EVEN CRANKIER as TRAGG in the screen tests!!!

4. I LIVE FOR THE ACTRESS IN MINK PLAYING DELLA opposite Hopper. I am glad they went with BARBARA HALE, but I also like to think that this lady SNATCHED THAT MINK in LIEU OF HER DAILY WAGE for being a stand-in and MADE IT SAFELY OFF THE LOT.

5. the lady who reads with HOPPER as MASON and BURR as MASON is not only GORGEOUS, but a really compelling performer.

I noticed that too about BUGER! BOOGER! Yes, Burr dialed it back in the series (no eye bulging) Della seemed a lot more vampy in the tests. She was more demure in the series.

[Lorna]

BOOGER! BOOGER! BOOOOOOOGER!!!!!

[HoldenIsHere]

a very dear friend sent me a buttload of incredible DVDs, among them is 1978's DEATH ON THE NILE, which includes a MAKING OF FEATURETTE that I had NEVER seen and did not know existed (which surprises me as this film has been a minor obsession of mine)

it's always weird for me to see PETER USTINOV talking in a BRITISH ACCENT as I grew up watching his HERCULE POIROT FILMS a lot on HBO.

I'm a big fan of EVIL UNDER THE SUN, which also features Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot.

Last year, the sweetie and I visited his grandmother, who is a fan of the POIROT series with David Suchet.
We shared with her the 1982 EVIL UNDER THE SUN, which features Diana Rigg, Maggie Smith and Sylvia Miles in addition to Peter Ustinov as Poirot.
She enjoyed the movie, but she found Sylvia Miles annoying.
She also commented on the quality of the performances across the board (particularly Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith) but couldn't think of the word to describe it.
The word she was looking for was camp.

[CinemaInternational]

Yes. Never liked Hazel, even as a kid! Perry needed that extra power to move him along.

Especially in the later seasons when he had put on quit a few pounds.

His weight really fluctuated during the series.

I recall that Raymond Burr had to go on a major crash diet to even be cast as Perry Mason. He had lost much weight before he began the series, and it only seems natural that he would put some back on. (Something I know from personal experience. I've almost always been overweight. Several years ago, I lost quite a bit, but later found much of it all over again)

[CinemaInternational]

Who would name their son EDSEL???? He was cursed from birth!

He only lived about half as long as his father Henry Ford did to boot.

[Lorna]

Who would name their son EDSEL???? He was cursed from birth!

He only lived about half as long as his father Henry Ford did to boot.

And apparently he was A LOT NICER and FAR MORE LOVED than HENRY FORD or HENRY FORD II (aka "HANK THE DEUCE".)

[kingrat]

Speaking of the name Edsel reminded me that I knew a woman named Sally, which was a nickname for her real name, Itsil. That's far out even for the rural South of many years ago.

And Holden's Sweetie's Grandmother had it right about Sylvia Miles being annoying. That's the quality she brings to the screen.

[CinemaInternational]

Regarding Sylvia Miles, I honestly thought she was hysterically funny in her small part in 1989's She-Devil as Meryl Streep's vengeful mother who rats all of her daughter's dirty secrets to a People magazine reporter as payback for having been put in a nursing home.

[Andree]

His weight really fluctuated during the series.

He seemed slimmer at the start and then got bigger as the show went on. By the
time of the last few seasons he looked like a refrigerator with a suit on. He also
had a shorter haircut, but I don't think the two were connected.

I've read that Burr had so much dialogue to remember that he sometimes stayed
at the studio overnight instead of going home. I was watching an episode the other
night where Della says the location is giving her the willies. I always get a kick
out of that expression.

Do I know what a common law marriage is? Why honey, that's the only way I would
get married. Say big boy what are you doing after court is adjourned for the day?

[HoldenIsHere]

I own a copy of TOOTSIE, but I couldn't resist watching a few favorite moments when I saw it was available on Watch TCM.
I never tire of this one!
I've never been one to comment on who *should* have won an Oscar (these awards are based on votes from Academy members so whoever received the most votes earned the Oscar), but Dustin Hoffman's nuanced performance in TOOTSIE continues to amaze with repeat viewings.
Of course, Ben KIngsley received the Oscar that year for his work in the "serious" GANDHI, but my vote would have gone to Dustin Hoffman for his work in TOOTSIE. Comedies never seem to get the recognition they deserve in my opinion.

One of my favorite (of many) laugh-out-loud moments is from a segment depicting the taping of a scene from the soap opera SOUTHWEST GENERAL, where Dustin Hoffman's character Michael Dorsey (or rather his female alter ego Dorothy Michaels) portrays hospital administrator Emily Kimberly. (We have an actor playing an actor playing an actor playing a character.)
Also in this scene is Jessica Lange, whose character Julie Nichols portrays Nurse Charles on the soap opera.
We witness Michael/Dorothy going off script, with a shot of the teleprompter revealing what had actually been written.

JULIE (as NURSE CHARLES): I’m partially to blame, Miss Kimberly.
MICHAEL as DOROTHY (as EMILY): Yes.
JULIE (as NURSE CHARLES): I know I’m pretty. And I use it. I just guess I shouldn’t have gone to Dr. Brewster’s office so late.
MICHAEL as DOROTHY (as EMILY): Well, no, that’s not true. You know, Dr. Brewster has tried to seduce several nurses on this ward, always claiming to be in the throes of an uncontrollable impulse. [Going off script] Do you know what? I think I’m gonna give every nurse on this floor an electric cattle prod and instruct them to just zap him in his badoobies.
JULIE: [snorts]
MICHAEL as DOROTHY (as EMILY): [on phone] Ruby? Hi. You want to open up the yellow pages and under the section of “Farm Equipment Retail” . . .