Posted on 11/21/2007 8:49:44 AM PST by Zakeet
The last good acting Redford did was an old Twilight Zone episode where he plays death and is trying to talk a lonely old woman to go with him.
I go to the movies to be entertained - not lectured.
Is this such a bizarre concept?
Despite them being well written and well acted, I have always considered them to be metaphors for the war or troops in general. I don’t think either one was intened to be flattering to the war or the troops who served in it. To the contrary, it seemed to me that a message was being sent that I didn’t care for at all.
Redford made his bones with his smile in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Many women fell in love. That made him a movie star.
***
I was one of those females. I think I saw that movie about a couple dozen times. Same with the Sting and a few others of his movies. He was easy on the eyes, but also a fairly good actor back then.
Unfortunately, Mr. Redford has not aged well. That wouldn’t even be so bad, but his last few movies have been horse puckies. I can’t say if it’s been his acting skills (or lack thereof), or maybe just the movies and their themes.
He’s not going to be like his co-star in “Sundance” — Paul Newman. Newman may be a liberal, but dang, last time I saw him he was around 80 and still looked good. And he could still act too.
In 2007, I would say it is. Most movies these days are crafted to change perceptions.
Well not much seems to have changed. He's still trying to get people to go with him.
Thanks Bob, but no thanks...
In the case of AN there was a lot more than just one ‘message’ being sent. It was richer than that and could be enjoyed on a whole range of levels as opposed to just the political.
We weren’t fighting the Vietnam war when Apocalypse Now or the Deer Hunter were made/released. And AN was based on an older text. The Vietnam War just provided a contemporary framing device.
I remember when Redford was a big movie star...like 35 years ago.
Any “buzz” on this movie coming out next year called _Recount_? It’s about the FL fiasco following the 2000 election. I have a feeling it will also be leftist claptrap. After all, it stars Kevin Spacey. Laura Dern will play Katherine Harris. And one of my favorite actors, Denis Leary, will play Demo strategist Michael Whouley. Hard to believe a film like this will be even handed but we shall see. I also wonder if anyone will want to see the movie as that whole event is getting to seem like it is in a more and more distant past.
GP I think. Without giving too much, she looses part of a hand and wears camo, baggy skin, so not much tit-illation.
Wear a hair-shirt, gnash teeth—penance for moveon types.
Don’t worry for Robert. His film will still sweep the Oscars next year, earn him a Nobel Peace Prize, an Emmy or two...
Absolutely not, but they were compelling to watch.
War is what it is, and John Wayne movies don't portray it accurately either. While neither movie was particularly flattering, they were both free of overt political agenda.
And "Charlie Don't Surf" is as pro-American a line as has ever been written.
I don’t deny that. I somewhat share that view. It does trouble me that a war where the left sought to defeat our efforts, and succeded, that the media continued to do whatever possible to further stereotypes and demagoguing of the war long after it ended.
I don’t necessarily disagree with your take. I do see a down side to the movie for those who aren’t well grounded on the war. And that includes a whole lot of folks.
Without the success of The Godfather or American Graffiti, neither one of them would have had the studio clout to make AN as we see it today.
It would’ve been a much smaller film.
And many films take a long time to get made. Reportedly Interview With A Vampire was optioned for 20 years and originally John Travolta was considered for the lead.
The Deer Hunter is a masterpiece. It’s a story about patriotic Americans from a working class industrial community that struggle with their lives and the impact on it due to the war.
And through the optimism it highlights through marriage, it shows all the characters who suffer through the outcome and its impact on their friends.
It’s a beautifully sad story retold with honesty and emotion. And in the end, even with all the loss and suffering they join together singing in tribute to the country and in support of each other.
How that is missed by folks is tough to understand.
A River Runs Through It was a pretty good movie IMHO. I don’t like Redford at all but not everything he makes is junk.
>>Redford is one of the most overpraised figures in movie history. He’s a blank performer and a pedestrian filmmaker. ‘Ordinary People’ was shrink wrapped pseudo art.<<
Yep. And even though I really like “The Natural”, your “blank performer” line accurately portrays his performance in that movie. It could have been a tremendous film had they gotten a more dynamic actor. (and someone who at least LOOKED the age of the character).
Gotta admit - I LOVE The Incredibles!!
Thankfully, my kids love it, too and we all want to see a sequel!!
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