I think Phil's point is that Wests' impact was due to the freedom that she exercised in shaping their public persona.  West honed her screen personality in vaudeville and the theater before the movies got wind of her, and she used her reputation (and her material) to gain a certain amount of creative autonomy before…

I think Phil's point is that Wests' impact was due to the freedom that she exercised in shaping their public persona.  West honed her screen personality in vaudeville and the theater before the movies got wind of her, and she used her reputation (and her material) to gain a certain amount of creative autonomy before…

Excellent write up of a talent whose been a major influence on female celebrity up to this day, even if the films, by modern standards, aren't really easy to watch.

Excellent write up of a talent whose been a major influence on female celebrity up to this day, even if the films, by modern standards, aren't really easy to watch.

In my opinion, I think THE MAURITIUS COMMAND and DESOLATION ISLAND are the best, and the darkest, of the series, and that's saying a lot.

In my opinion, I think THE MAURITIUS COMMAND and DESOLATION ISLAND are the best, and the darkest, of the series, and that's saying a lot.

I thought that, thematically speaking, LAWLESS had a lot going for it, exploring  alternative styles of gangster autonomy as defined by the contrast between regionalism and urbanism.  There was a healthy amount of self doubt in the leads in relation to their stances as well.  The big problem was in the mechanics of…

I thought that, thematically speaking, LAWLESS had a lot going for it, exploring  alternative styles of gangster autonomy as defined by the contrast between regionalism and urbanism.  There was a healthy amount of self doubt in the leads in relation to their stances as well.  The big problem was in the mechanics of…

YOLT is the movie where the campier aspects of the Bond franchise are acknowledged by the filmmakers and exploited consciously for laughs.

YOLT is the movie where the campier aspects of the Bond franchise are acknowledged by the filmmakers and exploited consciously for laughs.

Using technique as a synonym for style was indeed a bad choice of words, a mistake that I usually make only after a frustrating hour of trying to enter work reports on an uncooperative server at 2am.  I'll stand by the rest however.  My post wasn't designed to proclaim Scott as a misunderstood, or even original,…

Using technique as a synonym for style was indeed a bad choice of words, a mistake that I usually make only after a frustrating hour of trying to enter work reports on an uncooperative server at 2am.  I'll stand by the rest however.  My post wasn't designed to proclaim Scott as a misunderstood, or even original,…

I sense that he went from making glamorous, over stimulated B movies to A movies that commented on  the aesthetic sensibility utilized in his earlier work.  I don't think too many critics picked up on this transition.

I sense that he went from making glamorous, over stimulated B movies to A movies that commented on  the aesthetic sensibility utilized in his earlier work.  I don't think too many critics picked up on this transition.

From a visual presentation standpoint Scott's footage and its assemblage don't really compliment the screenplay's verbal gymnastics, but his direction of the actors was spot on.

From a visual presentation standpoint Scott's footage and its assemblage don't really compliment the screenplay's verbal gymnastics, but his direction of the actors was spot on.

While Ridley Scott's earlier films are justly remembered as the classics that they are, one could argue that Tony's work matured in a more satisfying way.  While introducing his hyperbolic, testosterone enhanced style of B movie pulp for mere sensationalism in the 80s, those techniques evolved into a commentary on how…

While Ridley Scott's earlier films are justly remembered as the classics that they are, one could argue that Tony's work matured in a more satisfying way.  While introducing his hyperbolic, testosterone enhanced style of B movie pulp for mere sensationalism in the 80s, those techniques evolved into a commentary on how…

I believe that Hanks' production company was developing AMERICAN TABLOID for HBO but got squeamish about promoting a multiple gunmen theory.  They also optioned Bugliosi's lone gunman tome, but it looks like they're going in another direction.

I believe that Hanks' production company was developing AMERICAN TABLOID for HBO but got squeamish about promoting a multiple gunmen theory.  They also optioned Bugliosi's lone gunman tome, but it looks like they're going in another direction.