Well, here's a final look at NEWTON BOYS before my review goes up. I've been contemplating my thoughts on the film, letting them settle, and I think I'll write something up pretty soon. I liked the film though. I've just been doing a lot of thinking about the film. Digesting it. It's not a 'rush to judge' film, in my opinion. Anyway, take a gander and by sometime tomorrow, I plan on having my review up. Till then Lady Marian here has the word on the film.
it's like i'm breakin' my cherry, e-mailing you for the first time!
loved your picture in VANITY FAIR -- they shoulda taken you outta that crack, though -- could hardly see ya! you're a cutie (love the red-headed man)!!!
SPOILER ALERT! this is probably full of spoilers
saw THE NEWTON BOYS at the American Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens (New York City) on Sunday, with a discussion with Richard Linklater afterwards. the Museum had a retrospective of all of his work, including his first film, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN TO PLOW BY READING BOOKS (1986-1988).
i have a program thing for THE NEWTON BOYS, plus the schedule from the AMMI if you want (i could fax them if you have a fax number and want them -- let me know).
Richard Linklater, as your L.A. guy said, was totally cool. i was amazed at how charming and pleasant he was. very relaxed. (unlike in L.A., the interviewer wasn't too bad.) i think much of Linklater's relaxation was due to the fact that he had taken acting classes in Austin, could be in front of an audience, and was able to be present in the moment, etc. FYI, Linklater was the only actor in SLACKERS with formal training.
i was really glad to hear that Linklater had taken acting classes. Spielberg did. coincidentally, so did i (maybe some day in my future a career like either one of these guys ? ? ? yeah right!!!).
Richard said he sees James Cameron as an independent because he has his own vision (as if vision equals independent filmmaker: NOT!!!). i don't really agree with that, but then I don't think most films are "independent." SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE was It for me, and that was way before all the mergers and acquisitions of all the little independents (and behemoths like Miramax were "nurtured" into omnipresence by Disney's money). Linklater went on to say that he thought KUNDUN was the most independent film he had seen recently, and it was released by Disney.
Linklater also said that the budget for THE NEWTON BOYS was $27 million, which is pretty amazing in light of Jack Valenti's remarks at ShoWest ($75.6 million dollars (?!?!) the average price of a Hollywood film?!)
-- an unheard of budget as Linklater was breaking one of the iron-clad rules in filmmaking by doing a period piece (asking for trouble, you know: no period pieces, no kids, no animals). His budget is amazing considering.
Linklater said that his production designer said she had more money in ONE SET (count em) for MAD CITY than for the *entire* budget of his movie. they were like, there's no way, with this money, that they could do the movie. but they did. there was at least one matte shot (something like $35,000 or so), where they used a matte for one of the Chicago street scenes -- a long shot of the gangster speakeasy i think).
the film itself is pretty wonderful, and is irrefutable proof that Richard Linklater is another one of these people getting on-the-job training, developing his narrative skills, learning how to be proficient at the hardest thing of all, telling a story. Linklater hasn't quite hit the nail on the head yet, but i think he's vastly improved from SLACKERS and DAZED AND CONFUSED. vastly. THE NEWTOM BOYS is light years from those films in terms of quality of vision and storytelling ability. but then i think the perfect male animal director would be a Richard Linklater and Kevin Smith, with a dash of Steven Soderbergh (for his ability to portray realistic women characters in SL&V). maybe.
i'd say my major gripe with the film is that of course the women characters (read: Juliana Margulies) have nothing to do. all Juliana did was sort of gaze sadly at Matthew McConaughey doin all his shenanagans, albeit looking mighty fine (like she could look bad, puleese!). i'm sick of it, this inability to portray 3-dimensional women characters. get some women directors (or screenwriters) to infuse some reality into the proceedings. please. it's not *my* reality, nor most women i know. whatever.
okay (deep breath).
other interesting things:
wonderful discussion by Richard about the concept of having rehearsals before each film. Linklaters's theory is that the reason most studio films cost so much is that people start rehearsing once they're on set, taking 3 hours before doing a set-up, with the $150,000/day crew waiting for the actors and directors to get done discussing the scene, their motivation, yadda yadda yadda, and doing on-set rehearsals. Richard does 3 week rehearsals, which he says saves him money and gives him clarity of vision and an opportunity to explore the characters in his films. a commendable, smart thing to do.
HUGE SURPRISE PERFORMANCE:
Dwight Yoakam was simply amazing in his performance in what i like to think of as the 5th Newton brother. i think much of the reason why the film worked so well was his performance as Glasscock, the nitroglicerine guy. Dwight Yoakam was pretty good as the icky heavy in SLING BLADE (and Linklater cast Yoakam without seeing that performance -- it wasn't shot yet -- because he was so impressed with Yoakam's ideas for his role and saw a solid performance in RED ROCK WEST). Yoakam is almost unrecognizably in character in this role. Dwight Yoakam is great in this film. A reason to see the film.
Chloe Webb was a familiar, welcome face to see. Linklater is smart to put great supporting characters around his pretty boy cast.
one thing: would someone take Vincent D'Onofrio out of the disfigurement ghetto? first MEN IN BLACK, then he spends most of this movie with his head wrapped in a towel. what's up with that?
the clips at the end while the credits are rolling are amazing. the clips alternate between the documentary footage of Willis Newton and completely awesome footage from Johnny Carson. seeing Carson interview Willis illuminates what a poor-man's game the late night talk show hosts is. no one really measures up to Carson. Letterman may aspire to be like Johnny, but he's way to bitter and mean. Carson was such a master, and the footage, especially of THE TONIGHT SHOW, adds a weight and a breadth to the picture that makes the film for me.
Linklater said that Carson very rarely gives permission to use footage, that people said Carson would never do it. but Johnny remembered Willis Newton, and said he liked him, that it would be okay.
one thing Linklater said, a funny anecdote, was that Matthew McConaughey's brother was the oil man guy (when Matthew goes to see what's the matter with his dried up wells). Linklater said the whole scene was basically improvised, and that it was Matthew's idea to punch out his brother. Matthew's brother is a non-actor (Linklater likes to use non-actors a lot, and discussed that a bit).
i was pleasantly surprised by THE NEWTON BOYS. solid performances by the four pretty boy (well, D'Onofrio's a man, but what the hey, i'll give it to him) leads. adequate direction by Linklater. i don't especially count Linklater to be a great director, and none of his films really stuck with me or made my favorite films list, but as far as i'm concerned, THE NEWTON BOYS comes real close.
well, that's it, Harry. sorta long, but i think the length is reflective of how informative and interesting Linklater was during his talk. plus i've got a lot to say most of the time, especially if it's about the movies.
