RIP Mike Nichols

by Tony Dayoub

"Nichols discovered within himself a natural talent for drawing good work out of actors and for guiding playwrights through rewrites without making them feel threatened or trampled. He also found, to his own surprise, a kind of emotional comfort at being at the center of the action. 'I think people try to become famous because they think: If you can get the world to revolve around you, you won't die,' he remarked to a reporter. The comment typified the way Nichols handled himself with a press corps that was insatiably curious about his life with and without Elaine May—it was fast, funny, and so offhand that nobody could be certain whether it was self-revelation or just a good line."

- writer Mark Harris in his essential Pictures at a Revolution, describing one of the directors at the vanguard of the New Hollywood

Recommended Films - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Graduate, Carnal Knowledge, Working Girl, Regarding Henry, Wolf, The Birdcage, Closer

And an even better list of titles I haven't seen but should - Catch-22, The Day of the Dolphin, The Fortune, Silkwood, Postcards from the Edge, Primary Colors, Wit (TV), Angels in America (TV), Charlie Wilson's War

RIP Elizabeth Peña

by Tony Dayoub

"Sayles could pull a performance out of a dog. I'm serious. He was just amazing. The world could fall apart and he remained on neutral."

- a humble but talented Elizabeth Peña on John Sayles, who directed
her to her best performance in the highly underrated Lone Star

Recommended Films - They All Laughed, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, La Bamba, Blue Steel, Jacob's Ladder, Lone Star, Rush Hour, The Incredibles

And an even better list of titles I haven't seen but should - El Super, Crossover Dreams, *batteries not included, The Waterdance, Tortilla Soup, Transamerica, The Lost City

Richard Attenborough

by Tony Dayoub

...the cost of promoting movies, the advertising and promotion of a movie, the budget is almost as large as the cost of the movie. And these huge blockbusters that you see have tens and hundreds of millions of pounds and dollars spent promoting them. And if you don't have something which they believe will reach an enormous audience, then they won't go for it.

- Sir Richard Attenborough, actor-director and a potent behind-the-scenes force in bringing less marketable British films to the forefront

As expected, Variety has posted a couple of nice tributes to Sir Richard Attenborough, an important British film industry figure. But for those Americans who only know him as POW leader Roger Bartlett in The Great Escape, kind old industrialist John Hammond of the Jurassic Park films, or the director of 1982's Gandhi, let me offer a couple of suggestions that might enlarge your appreciation of the actor-director.

RIP Lauren Bacall

by Tony Dayoub

"I remember my oldest son, Steve, saying to me once, 'I don't ever remember seeing you with an apron on.' And I thought, 'That's right, honey, you did not.' That was his concept of what a mother should be."

- the once shy, quiet Betty Joan Perske, who made her mark in the world as the hard-talking, politically active, outspoken, alluring actress, Lauren Bacall

Recommended Films - The Big Sleep, Harper, Murder on the Orient Express, Misery, Dogville, Birth

And an even better list of titles I haven't seen but should - To Have and Have Not, Dark Passage, Key Largo, Young Man with a Horn, How to Marry a Millionaire, The Cobweb, Written on the Wind, Designing Woman, Sex and the Single Girl, The Shootist, The Fan, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Manderlay, The Walker

Robin Williams

by Tony Dayoub

"If you watch it backwards, it has a plot."

- Robin Williams describing 1980's Popeye and, in
retrospect, a profoundly revelatory description of his own life.

Robin Williams made me laugh since I was a kid. The first time I saw him he appeared as Mork from Ork on Happy Days. How or why an alien would ever even cameo on an otherwise fairly realistic nostalgia show set in Eisenhower's 50s never even crossed my mind because Williams' rat-a-tat-tat style of humor was so absurd, so surprising and, of course, so hilarious, that it didn't really matter. The shock of seeing his brand of edgy, improvisational humor on a family-oriented network sitcom felt akin to someone throwing a confetti bomb into a crowded theater. It's an explosive prank that is ultimately harmless. But it was memorable... and powerful enough to get Williams his own TV show, Mork and Mindy.

James Garner

by Tony Dayoub

"My father has never let any of this 'Hollywood' hype go to his head. He has never forgotten where he came from. It does not matter to him if you are the head of the network or you are a grip, he is going to treat everyone with the same amount of respect and kindness. Actually, truth be told, he would probably treat the grip a little better."

- daughter Gigi Garner in The Garner Files: A Memoir by James Garner and Jon Winokur

Ever heard the story of how Steve McQueen stole the show right from under the better known Yul Brynner in 1960's The Magnificent Seven, directed by John Sturges. Despite considerably less dialogue, McQueen made the most of his screen time by overindulging in some attention-getting physical tics and actor "business" to divert viewers away from Brynner. Flash-forward to 1963 and now it's McQueen who leads an ensemble cast in Sturges' The Great Escape. And while the McQueen isn't quite in danger of having the movie stolen out from under him, TV star James Garner—soft-spoken but no less competitive—does more than just hold his own. Whenever he's on screen with McQueen, notably in that scene where the prisoners all congregate in the camp's yard to celebrate the 4th of July, the two seem to be in a competition to see who can outdo the other with as little dialogue as possible. Each mugs it up for the camera, allowing their natural charm—these were not the actors with a capital A that came out of New York's Method school—to do their work for them.

RIP Paul Mazursky

by Tony Dayoub

"Even when I begin with a situation that's basically funny or sad, I like to keep poking around in it. I like to get into the middle of a relationship, to explore the subtle places."

- actor/director Paul Mazursky, who made it look so easy

Recommended Films -
As Director: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, An Unmarried Woman, Tempest, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Enemies: A Love Story
As Actor: Into the Night, Carlito's Way

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should -
As Director: Alex in Wonderland, Blume in Love, Harry and Tonto, Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Moscow on the Hudson, Scenes from a Mall
As Actor: Fear and Desire, Blackboard Jungle, History of the World: Part I

RIP Eli Wallach

by Tony Dayoub

"Everyone thinks acting is easy. It's far from easy, but it's the most gratifying thing I do."

- one of the leading proponents and practitioners of the Method, character actor Eli Wallach

Recommended Films - The Magnificent Seven, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Cinderella Liberty, The Deep, The Two Jakes, The Godfather: Part III, The Ghost Writer

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should: Baby Doll, The Lineup, Seven Thieves, The Misfits, How the West Was Won, Lord Jim, How to Steal a Million, Mackenna's Gold, Crazy Joe, The Hunter, Winter Kills, The Executioner's Song, Nuts, New York, I Love You

RIP Gordon Willis

by Tony Dayoub

"I may have gone too far a couple of times. I think there was a scene between Al [Pacino] and his mother, who was played by Morgana King in Part II. I did one scene; I went too far. I think Rembrandt went too far a couple of times."

- Gordon Willis, dubbed the Prince of Darkness by fellow cinematographers after his masterful application of underexposure in The Godfather films.

Recommended Films - Klute, The Godfather, The Paper Chase, The Parallax View, The Godfather: Part II, The Drowning Pool, All the President's Men, Annie Hall, Comes A Horseman, Manhattan, Stardust Memories, Pennies from Heaven, Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, The Godfather: Part III

RIP Bob Hoskins

by Tony Dayoub

"You don't end up with a face like this if you're hard, do ya? This comes from having too much mouth and nothing to back it up with. The nose has been broken so many times."

- Bob Hoskins

Recommended Films - The Cotton Club, Brazil, Mona Lisa, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Doomsday, Disney's A Christmas Carol, Snow White and the Huntsman

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should: The Long Good Friday, Pink Floyd The Wall, A Prayer for the Dying, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne,

RIP Mickey Rooney

by Tony Dayoub

"The audience and I are friends. They allowed me to grow up with them. I've let them down several times. They've let me down several times. But we're all family."

- Mickey Rooney

Recommended Films - National Velvet, The Black Stallion, Babe: Pig in the City

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should: A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Family Affair, Captains Courageous, Boys Town, Babes in Arms, The Human Comedy, Quicksand, The Bold and the Brave, Requiem for a Heavyweight

RIP Shirley Temple Black

by Tony Dayoub

"I class myself with Rin Tin Tin... At the end of the Depression, people were perhaps looking for something to cheer themselves up. They fell in love with a dog and a little girl. It won't happen again."

-Shirley Temple Black, modestly summing up her legacy.

Recommended Films - Little Miss Marker, Bright Eyes, Curly Top, Wee Willie Winkie, Heidi, The Little Princess, Kiss and Tell, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Fort Apache

Philip Seymour Hoffman

by Tony Dayoub

"Actors are responsible to the people we play. I don't label or judge. I just play them as honestly and expressively and creatively as I can, in the hope that people who ordinarily turn their heads in disgust instead think, 'What I thought I'd feel about that guy, I don't totally feel right now.'"

- in hindsight, a revelatory quote by Philip Seymour Hoffman

It's now been nearly a week since Philip Seymour Hoffman passed. A surprising number of writings since then have focused on the circumstances of his death, shaming the actor, diminishing the monumental scale of his work... over 60 roles performed in just under 25 years. I was (and may still be) too floored by the untimely loss to really say anything coherent about the talented actor so soon after. But one thing I was determined not to do is judge the manner in which he departed. No one knows the personal pain of another. And he certainly gave enough of himself—both onstage and on screen—to influence colleagues and admirers alike. Whether the parts were big or small, the films significant or not, one always knew that an appearance by Philip Seymour Hoffman was sure to be captivating.

RIP Maximilian Schell

by Tony Dayoub

"Now, when you have my letter in your hand, a beautiful day is coming for you. I will be with you, proud, because I knew such recognition would come one day, leading to something even greater and better... not only because you are close to me but because I count you among the truly great actors, and it is wonderful that besides that you are my brother."

- a letter from the actor's equally talented sister, actress Maria Schell, after he won the New York Film Critics Circle award for his Oscar-winning performance in Judgment at Nuremberg

Recommended Films - Judgment at Nuremberg, Topkapi, The Deadly Affair, The Black Hole, The Freshman, Deep Impact

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should: The Young Lions, The Odessa File, Cross of Iron, Julia, Little Odessa, John Carpenter's Vampires
As director: First Love, The Pedestrian, Marlene, My Sister Maria

RIP Joan Fontaine

by Tony Dayoub

"At age 108, flying around the stage in Peter Pan, as a result of my sister cutting the wires. Olivia has always said I was first at everything; I got married first, got an Academy Award first, had a child first. If I die, she'll be furious, because again I'll have got there first!"

-Joan Fontaine, when asked how she'd like to die.

Well, she came pretty close. Joan Fontaine died this weekend at the age of 96. I found out last night while I was strolling with my family in Midtown Atlanta, less than a few hours after posting a small tribute to Peter O'Toole. Her death caps off a week in which we lost O'Toole, Eleanor Parker, Audrey Trotter, and Tom Laughlin. But in many ways it's Fontaine's passing that touches me most personally.

RIP Peter O'Toole

by Tony Dayoub

"I can't stand light. I hate weather. My idea of heaven is moving from one smoke-filled room to another."

- the hard-living, harder-drinking, and even more talented performer, Peter O'Toole

Recommended Films - The Savage Innocents (although his voice is dubbed), Lawrence of Arabia, The Bible: In the Beginning, Man of La Mancha, The Stunt Man, Troy, Ratatouille,

And an even better list of movies I haven't seen but should: Becket, What's New Pussycat, How to Steal a Million, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, My Favorite Year, Creator, The Last Emperor, Venus

Dennis Farina

by Tony Dayoub

Perhaps Dennis Farina was best known for Law & Order where he played the sartorially gifted police detective Joe Fontana for two seasons. But Farina didn't just play policemen on TV. He was the real deal. A former Chicago cop, his streetwise affect led him to be typecast as either cop or thug. And his conviviality frequently made him ideal for filling the role of comic relief. But there was a dark streak that ran through Farina that was often untapped. Rarely was his ability to lapse into cool callousness utilized best than when he worked for the director who discovered him, Michael Mann.

The Week in Review: Richard Matheson, World War Z and Maniac (2013)

by Tony Dayoub

Between a well earned vacation down in my hometown (which just won the NBA Finals, people), Wendy Davis's Texas filibuster and the Supreme Court rulings rightfully dominating the conversation online this week, I just haven't felt up to posting anything major. (If a blogger posts a movie review online and no one is around to read it, does it still make a cogent argument?) Still, the world keeps turning, so here's some stuff worth mentioning if only in brief.

James Gandolfini

by Tony Dayoub

I read it. I liked it. I thought it was good. But I thought they would have to hire some good looking guy—not George Clooney but some Italian George Clooney—and that would be that. But they called me and they said can I meet David for breakfast at 9 a.m. At the time I was younger, and I stayed out late a lot. And I was like, "Oh, for fuck's sake. This guy wants to eat breakfast? This guy's going to be a pain in the ass."

-Actor James Gandolfini on The Sopranos and its creator, David Chase

The passing of James Gandolfini yesterday came as a shock to just about everyone it seems. After hearing it, I went through the 21st century version of the five stages of grief. First, I visited reliable online news sources to confirm that the reports were indeed true. Second, I shared my sadness with Facebook friends. Then I went on Twitter to read the reactions of celebrities and journalists. Next, I scoured the cable guide for any showings of The Sopranos, a show I hadn't seen since its cancellation. And finally, I find myself here writing up whatever kind of minuscule tribute to the actor I can offer.

RIP Ray Harryhausen

by Tony Dayoub

"I'm another snowball. Willis H. O'Brien started the snowball. Then I picked it up. Then ILM picked it up. And now the computer generation is picking it up. Where it will end, I don't know... maybe in holography. Although I'm not sure I'd like a grotesque monster appearing in 3D in my living room."

-Stop motion model animator Ray Harryhausen,

whose name became synonymous with motion picture visual effects

Recommended Films - Mighty Joe Young, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, The 3 Worlds of Gulliver, Mysterious Island, Jason and the Argonauts, One Million Years B.C., The Valley of Gwangi, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, Clash of the Titans (1981)