Mary and I will often go to the movies and see different films. Yesterday I wanted to see Constantine and she wanted to see Sideways. We compromised on The Aviator (which promised to be more a big-screen film than Sideways).
I wasn’t expecting to hate it, but I sure as hell didn’t expect to be blown away.
It’s a somewhat (okay, more than somewhat) sanitized version of roughly the first half of Howard Hughes’s life. I’m amazed at what he accomplished in those 42 years. The film also shows his growing paranoia and the obsessive-compulsive tendencies that would turn him into a mad recluse toward the end of his life.
I’m also amazed at the performances. If DiCaprio wins an Oscar for it, he well deserves it. (Pace, Maggers – I haven’t seen Ray yet.)
But what adds to the film are the supporting star turns by the two Kates: Blanchett and Beckinsale. Blanchett’s portrayal of another Kate – Hepburn – is so dead on it’s scary. As if she were channeling Hepburn. I’ve always considered Kate Beckinsale just another pretty face, but she does a wonderful job as Ava Gardner.
I’ve rarely seen a movie I didn’t consider too long and this was no exception. A good 15 minutes could have been easily cut – especially from Hughes’s prolonged breakdown as Pan Am and Senator Brewster (great smarmy portrayal by Alan Alda) were conspiring to put him out of business.
But Hughes gets his act together and you want to cheer at his in-your-face testimony during Brewster’s trumped-up hearings.
Worth seeing.
But toward the end of the film I was greatly saddened because it’s ultimately tragic. Here was an innovator, a dreamer, a driving force in films and aviation, brought down by his neurotransmitters. By the time he died in 1976 – attended by Mormons, the only people he would hire because their blood was “untainted” – he was unrecognizable. Had to be fingerprinted to be identified. If we’d had SSRIs like Prozac and Paxil available back in the 1940s, the second half of his life might have been completely different.
I wasn’t expecting to hate it, but I sure as hell didn’t expect to be blown away.
It’s a somewhat (okay, more than somewhat) sanitized version of roughly the first half of Howard Hughes’s life. I’m amazed at what he accomplished in those 42 years. The film also shows his growing paranoia and the obsessive-compulsive tendencies that would turn him into a mad recluse toward the end of his life.
I’m also amazed at the performances. If DiCaprio wins an Oscar for it, he well deserves it. (Pace, Maggers – I haven’t seen Ray yet.)
But what adds to the film are the supporting star turns by the two Kates: Blanchett and Beckinsale. Blanchett’s portrayal of another Kate – Hepburn – is so dead on it’s scary. As if she were channeling Hepburn. I’ve always considered Kate Beckinsale just another pretty face, but she does a wonderful job as Ava Gardner.
I’ve rarely seen a movie I didn’t consider too long and this was no exception. A good 15 minutes could have been easily cut – especially from Hughes’s prolonged breakdown as Pan Am and Senator Brewster (great smarmy portrayal by Alan Alda) were conspiring to put him out of business.
But Hughes gets his act together and you want to cheer at his in-your-face testimony during Brewster’s trumped-up hearings.
Worth seeing.
But toward the end of the film I was greatly saddened because it’s ultimately tragic. Here was an innovator, a dreamer, a driving force in films and aviation, brought down by his neurotransmitters. By the time he died in 1976 – attended by Mormons, the only people he would hire because their blood was “untainted” – he was unrecognizable. Had to be fingerprinted to be identified. If we’d had SSRIs like Prozac and Paxil available back in the 1940s, the second half of his life might have been completely different.
This post was last modified: 02-20-2005, 02:06 PM by fpw.
FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.
fpw Wrote:....But toward the end of the film I was greatly saddened because it’s ultimately tragic. Here was an innovator, a dreamer, a driving force in films and aviation, brought down by his neurotransmitters. By the time he died in 1976 – attended by Mormons, the only people he would hire because their blood was “untainted” – he was unrecognizable. Had to be fingerprinted to be identified. If we’d had SSRIs like Prozac and Paxil available back in the 1940s, the second half of his life might have been completely different.
I haven't seen "Aviator" yet. I'm looking forward to it for all the reasons you've given. I've been looking for another truly star performance from DiCaprio since his Oscar nominated turn in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," a terrific little film.
About Hughes and your comments above, do you think he would have taken the medication were it available? Did he trust physicians enough to listen to them? Of course, the lack of trust is a manifestation of the illness. Intersesting line of thought.
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd
Maggers Wrote:About Hughes and your comments above, do you think he would have taken the medication were it available? Did he trust physicians enough to listen to them? Of course, the lack of trust is a manifestation of the illness. Intersesting line of thought.
As speculation, he might well have taken it if it were available earlier enough, and the problem hadn't had time to become far enough advanced.
Ken V.
fpw Wrote:Mary and I will often go to the movies and see different films. Yesterday I wanted to see Constantine and she wanted to see Sideways. We compromised on The Aviator (which promised to be more a big-screen film than Sideways).
I wasn’t expecting to hate it, but I sure as hell didn’t expect to be blown away.
It’s a somewhat (okay, more than somewhat) sanitized version of roughly the first half of Howard Hughes’s life. I’m amazed at what he accomplished in those 42 years. The film also shows his growing paranoia and the obsessive-compulsive tendencies that would turn him into a mad recluse toward the end of his life.
I’m also amazed at the performances. If DiCaprio wins an Oscar for it, he well deserves it. (Pace, Maggers – I haven’t seen Ray yet.)
But what adds to the film are the supporting star turns by the two Kates: Blanchett and Beckinsale. Blanchett’s portrayal of another Kate – Hepburn – is so dead on it’s scary. As if she were channeling Hepburn. I’ve always considered Kate Beckinsale just another pretty face, but she does a wonderful job as Ava Gardner.
I’ve rarely seen a movie I didn’t consider too long and this was no exception. A good 15 minutes could have been easily cut – especially from Hughes’s prolonged breakdown as Pan Am and Senator Brewster (great smarmy portrayal by Alan Alda) were conspiring to put him out of business.
But Hughes gets his act together and you want to cheer at his in-your-face testimony during Brewster’s trumped-up hearings.
Worth seeing.
But toward the end of the film I was greatly saddened because it’s ultimately tragic. Here was an innovator, a dreamer, a driving force in films and aviation, brought down by his neurotransmitters. By the time he died in 1976 – attended by Mormons, the only people he would hire because their blood was “untainted” – he was unrecognizable. Had to be fingerprinted to be identified. If we’d had SSRIs like Prozac and Paxil available back in the 1940s, the second half of his life might have been completely different.
I thought the movie was very well done, but I would have edited out 30 minutes of it (most of it from the first part of the film).
DiCaprio was fantastic in the film. Like I said earlier, I still think Jamie Foxx should win the Oscar, but if DiCaprio wins I won't feel bad about it.
It is a sad story, though. What did he have exactly? OCD and paranoid schizophrenia?
Susan
FPW Stores:
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. ~ Oscar Wilde
Insanity in individuals is something rare -- but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.~Nietzche
Insanity in individuals is something rare -- but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.~Nietzche
Well, I saw "The Aviator" today and was very disappointed.
I literally had a hard time staying awake, which is unlike me at a movie. It acted as a soporific and nearly lulled me to sleep. The movie began at noon and seemed so long that I thought for sure it would be dark outside by the time I left the theater.
DiCaprio was terrific, but he is still so young, so youthful in his demeanor and appearance, that I have a hard time seeing him as a 40 year old.
I was most let down by Kate Blanchett, whom I absolutely adore. This is the first movie in which I was aware that I was watching Kate Blanchett acting. Unlike Jamie Foxx in "Ray," where I completely forgot about Jamie Foxx and was thoroughly entranced watching Ray Charles, I had to keep reminding myself that the red-headed character on screen was supposed to be Katherine Hepburn.
And Alan Alda was SO BROOKLYN! He schmoozed his way through this part; no way was he a senator from Maine.
Interestingly, Scorsese's use of the color blue was striking. In nearly every scene, there was a gorgeous splash of sky blue, whether in DiCaprio's eyes or Ava Gardener's dress. Blue skies nothing but blue skies....
The art direction was great and the costumes were beautiful. Betcha it wins Oscars for both of those categories. But please, not best film. No way.
Fiddlesticks! I was really looking forward to this movie, and I was let down on all accounts.
I know that few people agree with me on this movie, except the friends with whom I saw the film. It was crowded and we wound up not sitting together. When we met at the end of the movie, we were each of us embarrassed to acknowledge that we nearly feel asleep. Then we realized we all did the same thing! One of us actually did drop off and woke to to find Alan Alda on screen with no idea how he got there.
Ahh well, to each his own, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it takes all kinds....What would this world be if we all agreed on everything. Boring, that's what!
I literally had a hard time staying awake, which is unlike me at a movie. It acted as a soporific and nearly lulled me to sleep. The movie began at noon and seemed so long that I thought for sure it would be dark outside by the time I left the theater.
DiCaprio was terrific, but he is still so young, so youthful in his demeanor and appearance, that I have a hard time seeing him as a 40 year old.
I was most let down by Kate Blanchett, whom I absolutely adore. This is the first movie in which I was aware that I was watching Kate Blanchett acting. Unlike Jamie Foxx in "Ray," where I completely forgot about Jamie Foxx and was thoroughly entranced watching Ray Charles, I had to keep reminding myself that the red-headed character on screen was supposed to be Katherine Hepburn.
And Alan Alda was SO BROOKLYN! He schmoozed his way through this part; no way was he a senator from Maine.
Interestingly, Scorsese's use of the color blue was striking. In nearly every scene, there was a gorgeous splash of sky blue, whether in DiCaprio's eyes or Ava Gardener's dress. Blue skies nothing but blue skies....
The art direction was great and the costumes were beautiful. Betcha it wins Oscars for both of those categories. But please, not best film. No way.
Fiddlesticks! I was really looking forward to this movie, and I was let down on all accounts.
I know that few people agree with me on this movie, except the friends with whom I saw the film. It was crowded and we wound up not sitting together. When we met at the end of the movie, we were each of us embarrassed to acknowledge that we nearly feel asleep. Then we realized we all did the same thing! One of us actually did drop off and woke to to find Alan Alda on screen with no idea how he got there.
Ahh well, to each his own, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it takes all kinds....What would this world be if we all agreed on everything. Boring, that's what!
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd
Maggers Wrote:Well, I saw "The Aviator" today and was very disappointed.
I literally had a hard time staying awake, which is unlike me at a movie. It acted as a soporific and nearly lulled me to sleep. The movie began at noon and seemed so long that I thought for sure it would be dark outside by the time I left the theater.
DiCaprio was terrific, but he is still so young, so youthful in his demeanor and appearance, that I have a hard time seeing him as a 40 year old.
I was most let down by Kate Blanchett, whom I absolutely adore. This is the first movie in which I was aware that I was watching Kate Blanchett acting. Unlike Jamie Foxx in "Ray," where I completely forgot about Jamie Foxx and was thoroughly entranced watching Ray Charles, I had to keep reminding myself that the red-headed character on screen was supposed to be Katherine Hepburn.
And Alan Alda was SO BROOKLYN! He schmoozed his way through this part; no way was he a senator from Maine.
Interestingly, Scorsese's use of the color blue was striking. In nearly every scene, there was a gorgeous splash of sky blue, whether in DiCaprio's eyes or Ava Gardener's dress. Blue skies nothing but blue skies....
The art direction was great and the costumes were beautiful. Betcha it wins Oscars for both of those categories. But please, not best film. No way.
Fiddlesticks! I was really looking forward to this movie, and I was let down on all accounts.
I know that few people agree with me on this movie, except the friends with whom I saw the film. It was crowded and we wound up not sitting together. When we met at the end of the movie, we were each of us embarrassed to acknowledge that we nearly feel asleep. Then we realized we all did the same thing! One of us actually did drop off and woke to to find Alan Alda on screen with no idea how he got there.
Ahh well, to each his own, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it takes all kinds....What would this world be if we all agreed on everything. Boring, that's what!
I have to agree that the first 30 minutes was terribly boring. John and I almost left. But the middle and ending made up for it, in my opinion.
I thought Kate Blanchett's first few minutes of screen time as Katherine Hepburn were WAY over the top. It felt so false, but by the end she seemed to fall more into the character very well.
DiCaprio was terrific, even though he is very young. I also really liked Alan Alda and didn't notice the accent discrepancies.
Susan
FPW Stores:
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. ~ Oscar Wilde
Insanity in individuals is something rare -- but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.~Nietzche
Insanity in individuals is something rare -- but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.~Nietzche
Susan Wrote:I have to agree that the first 30 minutes was terribly boring. John and I almost left. But the middle and ending made up for it, in my opinion.
I was OK for the first quarter of the movie. Then my eyes began to close during the 2nd and 3rd quarters. By the time the final quarter came 'round, like maybe 3 days later it seemed, I was able to keep from doing the heroin nod in my seat (NOT THAT I'VE EVER DONE HEROIN! It's what we call it in NYC when someone in the subway falls asleep next to you and keeps listing to port or starboard and winds up with his head on your shoulder. Very annoying.)
susan Wrote:I thought Kate Blanchett's first few minutes of screen time as Katherine Hepburn were WAY over the top. It felt so false, but by the end she seemed to fall more into the character very well.
Yes, the scene on the golf course was a tad bizarre. And I must admit that I did love the Hepburn family interlude. However, I was still too aware that it was Kate Blanchett and not Kate Hepburn for the performance to work for me.
susan Wrote:DiCaprio was terrific, even though he is very young. I also really liked Alan Alda and didn't notice the accent discrepancies.
Do you think either of them will get the academy nod? I think Jamie Foxx is a lock; at least I sure hope so. And I hope Morgan Freeman gets it, if not necessarily for his work in "Million Dollar Baby," which was great as Morgan Freeman always is, then for his entire career. You know how they do that with Oscars - it becomes the We-should-have-given-it-to-him-for-"Driving-Miss-Daisy" award. But that's OK by me. I love Morgan Freeman and would love to see him win an Oscar, I don't care for what.
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd
I was really pulling for Scorcese for Best Director. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Gangs Of New York and now The Aviator were all worthy of winning Best Picture and Director awards yet Hollywood sends Marty home empty handed again. Twenty years from now the Academy will toss him a lifetime achievment award as a consolation for all the times they screwed that poor man over.
Maggers Wrote:And I hope Morgan Freeman gets it, if not necessarily for his work in "Million Dollar Baby," which was great as Morgan Freeman always is, then for his entire career. You know how they do that with Oscars - it becomes the We-should-have-given-it-to-him-for-"Driving-Miss-Daisy" award. But that's OK by me. I love Morgan Freeman and would love to see him win an Oscar, I don't care for what.
Morgan Freeman is another guy who deserved an award. His winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar was the high point of the evening for me.