TV and Movies

[drizzellla]

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@Pearlee wrote:
@drizzellla. I actually think DJ did a good job of acting, showing he wasn't at all "in the same place" SP was. She was all up for romance (in love with so m.h eonevshe had never even dated) while he was completely focused on finding the 1-armed man. While she was blabbing on in la-la land about "it could be wonderful" he was trying to find out what was in the report, go back and see the farmer and his wife, etc. So I thought his distant demeanor toward her though ml post of the show was appropriate

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Good point.

[Pearlee]

@Oznell This coming week's Fuge is directed by the great Sydney Pollack! I love the films that he directed! I remember this episode and do like it, although I recall it being rather slow-moving.

[Oznell]

Hey, @Pearlee ,  that is neat that Sydney Pollack directed the upcoming episode-- I love when the names of prominent film directors pop up on older TV shows-- just the other day, I saw Richard Donner credited on an older TV show.  Interesting how many got their start there.

I like Sydney Pollack too-- whenever he was interviewed, he always struck me as so intelligent and reflective -- more so than the average H'wood director.  He masked it somewhat with his pleasant, witty, "every-guy" demeanor.

Although some of his most popular films didn't do much for me-- "Tootsie" being one, (I know that's heresy)--  I LOVED "They Shoot Horses, Don't They",  "Three Days of the Condor",  and parts of "Out of Africa" were brilliant.   Have seen parts of the Tennessee Williams piece he did, "This Property is Condemned" and it seemed so good also....

It's cool knowing a gifted craftsman like Pollack directed a Fuge episode!   

[Pearlee]

I'm glad you responded @Oznell. I completely agree with your description of him. He was a really good actor too. I actually love the film Tootsie and my favorite scenes on it are the ones he is in as Dustin's manager. I thought he was terrific. He was also in Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives if I recall correctly, as an actor.

Tootsie moved at such a brisk pace that I'm surprised he directed a rather slow-moving Fuge episode, but those were very early days for him and he clearly honed his craft.

I never liked They Shoot Horses and have only seen it one time. It was so sad and depressing I never wanted to watch it again. It is one of my sister's favorites though.

[Oznell]

@Pearlee,  yes!  That's the one thing I wanted to mention also, but neglected to-- that he was such a good actor himself!  He WAS good in "Tootsie" and other films-- very natural.  Even though it wasn't my fave, I did appreciate him in it, and of course the wonderful Teri Garr....

[Pearlee]

@Oznell. Discussing this yesterday made me read up on Pollack. He never had any schooling/training in directing and said he was self-taught by directing a lot of TV shows for four years in the early 1960s including The Fugitive and Dr. Kildare ( another favorite show of mine back then). He first learned when John Frankenheimer, the friend who got him to move from NY to LA, would give him shows that had been cancelled to direct for the few shows remaining in the season before cancellation, then went on to direct those other 60s TV shows. He was married for 50 years until his death to Claire Griswold who was in a "famous" Twlight Zone called Miniature
playing a doll in a dollhouse that Robert Duvall falls in love with.

[Oznell]

@Pearlee,  that's very interesting that John Frankenheimer, another talented director, helped him out in the beginning.  Also that he stayed married so long--  I've seen pictures of his lovely wife, and as per that Twilight Zone episode, she did have a kind of ethereal, doll-like beauty....

Now I'm really primed to see if I can detect any sort of 'Pollack-like' flourishes in the direction of the next Fuge!

[Tique]

Though it pains me to return to this thread, I must. I started including what I considered to be memorable exchanges between a "character of the week" and RK. Last week even though I did post some dialogue, it was not my choice. I realized this morning I never posted mine. It happens to be the conversation that preceded what was posted earlier.

"Ellie, I’m trying to thank you."

"I know. I’m trying to ignore it."

"I have to say it sometime."

"Oh Richard."

"Well a man can’t live without hope. There’s nothing. No meaning to anything. It’s like watching tv with the sound off…I found out the one-armed man was dead and well I thought that was the end…I guess it would have been except for you."

"Richard please."

"I lost one hope. I found another. New world. New life."

"Stop it Richard. Will you hon? Stop it."

"Now what’s the matter?"

"You never saw me without my make up on."

"What does that mean?"

"I’m a liar and a cheat…Also a chicken…I planned to burn this. You had to open your big mouth and tell me how great I am."

No replies necessary. I'm one of those people who tries to be true to myself.