The U.S. really is a different and better place now, at least as far as crime is concerned, than it was 15 or 20 years ago. I rented "Falling Down" for Maia a few weeks ago, just so she could get a little of the sense of dread we all lived with in the '80s and '90s and don't anymore. But she thought it was a comedy.
Referencing the above, from Cathy Seipp's most recent post, I can't imagine reading Falling Down as anything but a darkly comic revenge fantasy. It was absurd, then, it's even more so now. That picture was back when Joel Schumacher made good bad movies, rather than the awful bad movies he now makes.
I found it to be the typical Hollywood liberal interpretation of their conception of what kind of seething rage sits in the heart of all white men. I don't think they expected the Michael Douglas character to be received as sympatheticaly as he was.
Hollywood does that from time to time, I'm sure they thought they were making Patton to be a repulsive nearly fascist thug, whereas most Americans just saw a great American.
Alec Baldwin has made his career lately out of playing politically incorrect heavies, and/or comic foils.
Funny how lefty actors always seem to play these kind of roles.
Back to Cathy glad to see her latest post, sorry to hear of her travails, but I expect to see her recovered and posting up a storm in due time (and till she's feeling better, sporadic posting is understandable).
3 comments:
You know the scene in the restaurant, when he finally gets a hamburger? And it's this ugly, squashed burger that looks nothing like the picture he's standing next too? That was my idea for a website back around 1998. I'd take pictures of what restaurants actually served and post it next to their advertisements. Only problem with the idea is that it's mostly restricted to fast food restaurants. Still, Lileks has created enjoyable books from less.
Funny how lefty actors always seem to play these kind of roles.
Always more fun to play against type or to play a villain.
Indeed (about all three points, food v. picture, Lileks' career, and why lefty actors play 'right wing nuts')
But I don't recall an avowedly 'right wing' actor playing a broad lefty charicature.
Partly, there aren't many folks who are 'out' with their right wingedness, partly, Hollywood doesn't skewer lefty sacred cows very often.
But I don't think Hollywood fully realizes how often their Archie Bunkers are consumed positively without irony.
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