I tend to run away and hide anytime I hear of a Bette Midler movie. Why? Because my mom watched THE ROSE 9845398593845938745 times and I have this twitch that happens when I think of bu bu Bette Midler... shivers.... Anyway here's the review of her latest endeavor that I'll end up catching cause I'm always bitching about how there are not enough MUSICALS being made today. Sigh...
HI Harry,THE DOMINO MAN here with a secod crack of the whip, firstly-a very happy birthday on behalf of all geeks worldwide,we cherish each binary digit every day.
I want to croon about a film I saw recently in Santa Monica at the AMC.It's called "Isn't she great". Since there hasn't been so much as a whisper on this project,I thought I'd get the ball rolling.
THE PLOT : A failure as a singer,dancer and actress,nobody tried harder to find a place in the spotlight than Jacqueline Susann. But with the help of her adoring husband/manager her perseverance,outrageous self promotion,and flamboyant escapades paid off big,when she wrote "Valley of the Dolls" and turned the rigid and dignified world of publishing upside down. This(as most would gather by now) is based on a true story.
THE PLAYERS : Susann is played by Bette Midler,and let me tell you she nails it. At first it seemed like she was doing a take from her character in The First Wives club but as the film progressed,I believed every little eccentricity. Her mannerisms and ego banter are magnetic. Nathan Lane is the husband in a subdued(considerig Birdcage and Mousehunt)but effective performance-they have great chemistry together.The real stand out as far as I'm concerned was Stockard Channing's performance as Susann's "uninformed" confidante. I was struggling for breath,she steals every scene.Nothing prepared me for this...Practical Magic I think not.There were several amusing cameos including John Cleese showing up as a hippie book publisher-seeing Cleese in a pair of tiger-striped bellbottoms is worth the price of admission alone.
I can't shake the feeling of how this film reminded me of the great musicals of the past. The look and feel of the film replicates the 60's and 70's admirably. There is a scene where we pan into a lavish publishing firm to the tune of Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze.Now I do understand this is temp music,but if there is any justice in the world the producers will leave it in-goosebumps. This was quite a departure for the director-Andrew Bergman-his previous feature was ....wait for it-Striptease. Redemption is at hand because this film has all the trademarks for a sleeper hit. God knows Universal need something concrete after the pig pegged.
A couple scenes that really stood out include Susann watching a live James Brown performance on tv and repeatedly exclaiming"he's gonna be big", "he's going places". At the pinnacle of her career,Susann sits next to a familiar face in her lounge-she asks"who are you anyway", the person replies"JIm Morrison". Her life is certainly worth telling as she evolves from being a selfish star gazer to a humble cancer victim.
I have never read the Valley of the Dolls,but after having watched this film maybe it ain't a bad idea. Kudos to Bergman who has obviously been studying the Milos Forman "based on a true" story textbook. Expect this little baby to generate positive buzz closer to its arrival.
THE DOMINO MAN
