THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

1963/Director: Jerry Lewis/Writers: Jerry Lewis  and Bill Richmond

Cast: Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens, Del Moore, Kathleen Freeman, Med Flory, Norman Alden, Howard Morris, Elvia Allman, Skip Ward, Henry Gibson

When most people think of Jerry Lewis, if he is thought about much anymore at all, they probably remember him as the goofy half of the Hal Wallis managed Martin and Lewis comedy team and for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. What many people do not realize is the body of work Lewis did behind the camera as producer, writer and director as well as a developer of technogloies still used today. One is the directors video assist system, once referred to as “Jerry’s noisy toy” that he basically invented  and owns the patent to after having worked in the television medium in the 60’s. Lewis has become an object of ridicule in the last couple decades and his often crass behavior and sexist and anti-gay remarks have done little to endear him to our newer world. I don’t really care about any of that and I think he is a sadly forgotten talent.

(more…)

BADLANDS

1975/Director: Terrence Malick/  Writer: Terrence Malick

Cast: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates, Ramon Bieri,  Alan Vint, Gary Little John, John Carter

Terrence Malick has never been a director I cared much for though he is considered a great film maker by the deep meaning of life crowd. Since the 1970’s he has only put out four full length films and those are often lauded as masterpieces. Well, I just cannot relate to them. I simply could not finish The New World, the John Smith, Pocahontas story with Colin Farrell. It was so excruciatingly dull and long. I liked The Thin Red Line in a general way, but I felt he took a great war novel by James Jones and turned it into the type of thing he is known for, an introspective and meandering view into the conflicts of the human soul. Well, that is all fine and dandy  but I really wanted an exciting war movie and maybe one that was a little more pro-American than what has been coming out in the last decade or two. Instead there was this transcendental trip into the human psyche that I did not care for and found it a little pretentious .  His directing style seems to be the complaint a lot of people have with Badlands, that it has lost the impact it once had as a unique film and is in fact boring and plodding (as Malick tends to become). In fact in this case it is the spacey, lazy pacing of the film that appeals to me the most, along with the great performances by Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek.

(more…)

TAXI DRIVER QUOTES

-

One of these days I gotta get myself organizized

-

-

Personnel Officer: (phone rings loudly) Harry, answer that.

Personnel Officer: So whaddya want to hack for, Bickle?

Travis Bickle: I can’t sleep nights.

Personnel Officer: There’s porno theaters for that.

Travis Bickle: Yeah, I know, I tried that.

Personnel Officer: So now what do you do?

Travis Bickle: I ride around most nights – subways, buses – but you know, if I’m gonna do that I might as well get paid for it.

Personnel Officer: So what is it? Do you need a second job? Are you moonlighting?

Travis Bickle: I… I just want to work long hours. What’s moonlighting?

Personnel Officer: Wanna work uptown nights? South Bronx? Harlem?

Travis Bickle: I’ll work anytime, anywhere.

Personnel Officer: Will you work Jewish holidays?

Travis Bickle: Anytime, anywhere.

-

(more…)

-

• Bob: [referring to Rio's busted gun hand] It’s been six weeks. That hand ain’t gettin’ no better. I say we lay for Longworth with shotguns and then go rob that bank. Rio: Ambushin’ folks ain’t exactly my style, Bob. Bob: I’d say your style’s gettin’ a bit slow. We brought you along because you’re supposed to be the big man with the iron; but now, I think I could even out pull you. Rio: [Putting his hand on his gun butt] You’re probably right, Bob. You probably could get six into me by the time I get that one into you.
• Deputy Lon Dedrick: You got a lot of guts, ain’t you kid? Rio: You’re the one with the gut Lon.
• Longworth: You’ve been tryin’ to get yourself hung for the last fifteen years Kid. This time I think you might have made it.
• Bob: What about Longworth? Rio: Nothin’ about him. In the mornin’ I’ll kill him and then we’ll rob that bank.
• Rio: You may be a one eyed jack around here, but I’ve seen the other side of your face.
• Deputy Lon Dedrick: You ain’t gettin’ no older than tomorrow.
• [Longworth has tied up and whipped Rio] Rio: You better kill me. Longworth: No, there’s no need for that. [smashes Rio's gun hand with a shotgun butt] Longworth: Your gun days are over. Put him on a horse.
• Louisa: You think that to kill him, will make you a man?Rio: Well, I don’t know ’bout that. But I know that I thought about him every day for five years. And that was the only thing that kept me going.
• Bob: This is part that’s goin’ to tickle you; the sheriff in that town is named Dad Longworth.
• [Rio has just bluffed his way out of jail with an empty pistol] Rio: Looky here, Lon; wasn’t loaded.
• Bob: Harvey Johnson’s about to be a famous name in these parts. You’re about to be gunned down by a man named Rio.
• [Modesto is attempting to stop Bob from double crossing Rio] Bob: I’m real disappointed in you, Modesto; pullin’ a gun on an old saddle pal like that. Chico: One more word and I will kill you! Bob: One more word, huh? Let me see if I can think of one. How about g-r-e-a-s-e-r? Greaser? [Modesto pulls his trigger and realizes that Bob has unloaded his gun during the night] Bob: Lookin’ for these, Modesto? (throws cartridges at him)Harvey: (laughing) Eat ‘em, greaser. Chico: (throws his gun at Bob) Banditos! Bob: You had a good life, Modesto. (shoots him)
• Rio: Get up! Get up, you scum suckin’ pig!
• Rio: I don’t know, Dad. You may not want me around too long. You may be retired from robbin’ banks, Dad; but I’m still in business.
• [Bob and Harvey are watching Longworth whip Rio] Harvey: We better get down there and do something. Bob: Do something? Not this old horse; Longworth’s got enough shotguns down there to start a war. Besides, this might help get some of that snot-nose out of him.

VIDEO WAS DISABELD BY USER.

WILL SEE IF I CAN FIND A NEW ONE SOON.

• Jeff Trent: Modern women. They’ve been like that all down through the ages. Especially in a spot like this.
• Eros: You do not need guns.
  Jeff Trent: Maybe we think we do.
• Paula Trent: …A flying saucer? You mean the kind from up there?
  Jeff Trent: Yeah, either that or its counterpart.
• Paula Trent: Now, don’t you worry. The saucers are up there. The graveyard is out there. But I’ll be locked up safely in there.
• Air Force Captain: Visits? That would indicate visitors.

(more…)