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inman50
10-28-2003, 04:25 PM
Sorry, Johann, Oscar, and all of you that have replied so generously and magnificently to my original thread about 70's films, but I didn't want this to get buried. Before I rumminate about Elaine May's brilliant comedy, what is this about Ken Russell doing a new version of The Fall of the House of Usher, Johann?? My God, that is amazing news!

I have throughly enjoyed all your trenchant posts about the 70s film oeuvre, including many films I had completely forgotten about. It occured to me that no one has mentioned The Heartbreak Kid, which put Charles Grodin in the limelight, and was a triumphant followup for Cybill Sheperd to The Last Picture Show, before she became a victim of Peter Bogdanovich's Swengali tactics and was paraded regrettably in both At Long Last Love and Daisy Miller. There is a unique and inspired streak of meanness here that Danny DeVito would cannibalize and parlay into unmitigated sadism if he were to redo it now. In Elaine May's exquisite hands, it becomes an artful and hilarious tale of moral retribution. I love the arc of this wonderful film, where it takes us, as well as Charles Grodin's Lenny. How many characters in film comedy provoke so much ambivalence? You absolutley hate the guy for the way he dumps his bride (the glorious Jeannie Berlin) on their Miami honeymoon, then cringe for him as he makes a colossal fool of himself chasing Sheperd back to the Minnesota heartland to wrest her from the patriarchal clutches of Eddie Albert, who is enough to scare even the most determined suitor. The dinner scene is priceless, and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but for those who have, you know what I'm talking about. It's Lenny's spurious charm in high, desperate gear, and it's pure Elaine May. Genius.

I heard alarmingly that a remake is in the works, or at least in development hell, God forbid. Let's see: Nora Ephron will direct it and Josh Hartnett, Chrstina Ricci, and Tara Reid star in it. I can't wait.

Johann
10-28-2003, 04:37 PM
Thanks for the kind words.

Russell's adaptation of Poe is already on DVD in Canada- I've ordered it thru Amazon.com
It's been renamed The Fall of the Louse of Usher , and it's got the same glam veneer that is a Russell trademark.
He's currently in pre-production on a new film.

Some IMDB reviews of the film are pretty weak. (obviously written by people who don't appreciate the man) -another pet peeve of mine. Some people on the imdb just write DRIVEL.

You've got me excited on two fronts- I have never seen The Heartbreak Kid (saw it on the rental shelf, but it looked like it wasn't my cup of tea) and the fact that my cherubic queen Christina is in a remake.

time for a trip to the video store...

inman50
10-28-2003, 05:09 PM
But, I must tell you before you run off to the video store, I was just imagining, with great sarcasm, what director and cast a remake would have. It's not that I don't love Christina, it's that she would be perfect for the role and totally wasted by the likes of Nora Ephron, Josh Hartnett, and Tara Reid. The original film is so good, it doesn't warrant a second rate "updated" makeover. Sorry for getting you excited on that point. Bad Inman.