Did you know that Susan Sarandon is 65 years old? She can totally retire. And marry me (us). She's also the first (30 Stars of Summer entry to have made out with one of our other entries. WE LOVE HER.
We're over a week into this, but if you're just joining us here are the rules. Check out this list of all the month's actors with links to what's available on Netflix Instant. If you're not a Netflix subscriber, maybe this will help.
Day 1: Jimmy Stewart
Day 2: Catherine Deneuve
Day 3: Christopher Lee
Day 4: Bette Davis
Day 5: Nicolas Cage
Day 6: Diane Keaton
Day 7: Orson Welles
Day 8: Catherine Keener
Day 9: Kurt Russell
Day 10: Pam Grier
Day 11: Clint Eastwood
Checkered Flag or Crash(1977)
ReplyDeleteSusan Sarandon stars are a reporter covering the Manilla 1000 off-road race and ends up a passenger with hard-driving racer Joe Don Baker. All the performances range from adequate to awful, like real life racer Parnelli Jones as himself(Wikipedia that kids!). The film I saw on Netflix Instant has obviously been edited down for language and is 90% ADR. Also, take a drink every time there is a slow motion crash. Maybe somewhere there is a version of this that is decent, but this sure isn't it.
My short review of any Sarandon film:
ReplyDeleteSusan Sarandon is a fox.
Joe (1970)
ReplyDeleteThe film starts with what may be the most implausible scene in movie history: Susan Sarandon strips nude, gets in the bathtub with her boyfriend - and he promptly gets out. Perhaps this is the movie's subtle way of telling us that the boyfriend is a moron (which he is). Anyway, Sarandon does what she can with a small, underwritten part. The movie is very much a product of its time, featuring Peter Boyle as a less-than-cuddly version of Archie Bunker (although you do get to see him nude - yay?). Ultimately, the film ends up being a rather unpleasant artifact of the era in which it was made. Not terrible, but hard to recommend.
I just saw this for the first time (projected in 35mm at NYC's Anthology Film Archive) and agree with some of what you say, especially the boyfriend being a moron for leaving a naked Susan in the bathtub. Peter Boyle certainly builds here with his take on Joe the template that Carroll O'Connor would fully develop into Archie Bunker. I was pretty sure Sarandon's boyfriend was Joe until we go to that bar, and then I almost said outloud in the packed theater 'This is our fucking hero?' :-P. Yes, it's a very dated 'oldies vs. youngies, upper vs. lower-class' class-conflict melodrama, but that final shot/ending to me really hits fucking hard at bringing together all the points Normal Wexler's screenplay was peppering throughout Joe's racist diatribes and Bill Comptom's decision to let Joe talk his way into his life. A very mixed movie (the songs are horrible even if they were meant to be parodies, which they clearly aren't) that I personally thinks its on the positive side of 'good,' but just barely.
DeleteThe Hunger (1983)
ReplyDeleteQuasi-Anne Rice vampire sleaze is helped considerably by stylish direction from Tony Scott and a magnetic performance by David Bowie. However, when Bowie exits halfway through the film everything goes downhill fast. A brief and quite stimulating boost does come, though, with the notorious lesbian love scene between Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve, which is just...just...what was I saying?
^^^ OK, now I MUST to see this movie and buy a bigger-than-my-47" HDTV. Sarandon and Deneuve? Damn! :-)
DeleteBull Durham
ReplyDeleteCostner at his best, Sarandon at her foxiest (for really reals...yowza!) and Tim Robbins playing dumb. Also, Robert Wuhl! What the hell ever happened to that guy? Anyway, this was a really entertaining comic drama about minor league baseball and sex, only not in that order. It felt like a movie that was actually made for adults, which is a rarity these days (yes, I'm aware it's over 20 years old). Definitely worth a look.
Arliss.
DeleteDamn. Thought that was a bad dream.
DeleteWhite Palace (1990)
ReplyDeletePretty good romance with James Spader as a young urban professional and Susan Sarandon as a burger waitress. Totally predictable and repetitive, but both leads are really good. And, like JP says about Bull Durham, it's a movie made for and about adults. Plus -- and I don't mean to keep commenting on the physical appearance of our female stars -- but I have to agree with my wife. Even at 65 (she's only 43 in White Palace), Susan Sarandon might be the sexiest actress alive. She's great, movie is decent. Glad I saw it.
SPEED RACER (2008)
ReplyDeleteOne of the most criminally-underrated mainstream movies of the past few years, and still my demo Blu-ray for visuals. While the Wachowski's are clearly giving priority to the visual flash over substance (and oh, what pretty high-def flash this is; layered-upon-layered live-action images that mimic anime drawing techniques to a tee!) they give the principal two-dimensional characters (and no, Sprittle and Chim Chim are one-dimensional comic relief) just enough heart and soul to make you care whether Speed (Emilie Hirsch sleepwalking) will win the race or Racer X (Matthew Fox having a blast) will reveal his true self or not to his loved one's. The borderline-orgasmic SFX/color overload during the ending/final race wouldn't work if the real-time-and-flashback cutaways to Sarandon (largely wasted) and Goodman (excellent as Pops) weren't there to remind us what is the motivation/drive that pushes Speed to never quit. If only this had come out in 3D! :'(
The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
ReplyDeleteI realize Sarandon is well-known for aging terrifically, but in this film, being the youngest I've seen her onscreen, she is...just...OK I'm going to run out of room for the actual review.
This is George Roy Hill and William Goldman's second collaboration after Butch and Sundance. It starts with a classic Hollywood feel thanks to Robert Redford as a plucky young pilot. Several tragedies later, the film morphs into an affecting but flighty (pun intended) tale about Redford's inability to stay grounded. The WWI-era planes make for some unique and excellently filmed stunts and every character leaves a lasting impact. Highly recommended.
Bull Durham (1988): Fun movie for adultz. A bit corny and/or unbelievable at times, but Kevin Costner is great (love how he says something awful, and then immediately laughs to himself), and Susan Sarandon is cute despite her crazy '80s hair. Now I'm gonna go listen to our podcast on the film! http://fthismovie.blogspot.com/2010/09/f-this-movie-bull-durham.html
ReplyDeleteBULL DURHAM:
ReplyDeleteKevin Costner was 33 when he did this. 33! He seemed older. Or maybe it's because the 33 year olds I know just seem younger. Loved hearing that Mexican lady's music, too.
White Palace (1990): I love this movie, primarily because Susan Sarandon and James Spader have a chemistry that is palpable in the film...they sizzle. Terrific performances by the two leads make this a really enjoyable film even if the ending is very "Hollywood" smaltze.
ReplyDelete