Re: Musing over musings...........

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: Elaine wrote:
: :Her role as Cora was her ace in hand and she basically, in my opinion, flushed that ace in the toilet. 

: Well, again, this is where individual opinion comes in.  I agree she hasn't made a "great" film since LOM, I just don't agree that she flushed her ace down the toilet.

: Elaine:
: :To go from one of the best films and best roles ever to come out of Hollywood DIRECTLY to the likes of "Unlawful Entry" is mind boggling. Whether or not one likes that film, it most certainly wasn't a high quality production. Not the stuff to build a career on. 

: I rather suspect that since it also starred Kurt Russell & Ray Liota, both fairly hot properties at the time, it was expected to be a decent success as a thriller.  As Mark always says when I tell him I want to see such-and-such movie because it's supposed to be good, "they're all SUPPOSED to be good!"

: Elaine:
: :And what roles has she gone on to accept? A couple were okay, at best, most were downright ridiculous. "Bad Girls"?????? 

: We can agree on this one.  Stinko. But it also included some actresses who should have known better, so Madeleine wasn't the only one to misjudge it.

: Elaine:
: : What we're saying is following LOTM, Madeleine Stowe was at the crossroads of her career. That was the time to make her mark, be selective, and break out of B movies. She didn't, and she may never again have such an opportunity. Mediocre, sex-laced, poorly written films may be her lot for the rest of her career. That's not the fault of producers, writers, agents, make-up crews, or BenBen. It's Madeleine's own choice. She's far from the starving starlet who needs to accept anything she can get. She's wealthy, she's known. She certainly can afford to be choosy. Apparently, she hasn't cared to. If you think we're being too harsh, check out her latest *flick*!

: No, I don't think you're being too harsh.  I just think you're stating your opinion of her films.  Mine is different.

: Elaine:
: : Also, I don't think the issue is how many films an actor makes an appearance in, but the quality of those films. DDL has certainly rejected an awful lot of roles.

: Never intended to put any importance on numbers, either. As for DDL, his talents as an actor also far exceed Madeleine Stowe's.  And even though he has selected quality films that he believed in, they haven't all brought him commercial success, by any means.  Some of them have been downright controversial, and the type of films that people either love or absolutely hate.  I've heard and read some scathing reviews of The Crucible, for instance, even though I thought it excellent.  And as highly touted as The Boxer was, it disappeared from local theaters in less than two weeks, here.  This isn't to put down DDL, my favorite actor, either, or his choice in film selection, but just to comment that even when you are as highly respected an actor as HE is, it isn't easy to pick and choose which films will be successful and which won't.  

: Elaine:
: : As for nudity; I can think of very few situations in which it actually enhances, or at least is justifiable in film. ........
:  but we are, I think being bombarded with films with gratuitous nudity and sexual situations that really are never "necessary". 

: You didn't get any real disagreement from me on the nudity issue, except to say that Madeleine hasn't bared all any more than many, many actresses (and actors) today.  As I said, I don't mind it much one way or the other in most films, though I think it isn't a question at all of justifying it. A naked body is in no way obscene or in need of justification, to my mind.  The question is one of artistic merit, and best left in the hands of the person telling the story, I think.  And there is a vast difference in seeing a naked person in a film, and in viewing every aspect of a couple having sex, which I also agree is way overdone in movies today.  In short, nudity in itself doesn't bother me (witness the absolutely stunning bathtub scene in The English Patient) but naked, sweaty, panting couples pawing each other is getting really OLD! I'm in perfect agreement that the Kiss in LOM is much more powerful.

: Elaine:
: : Wes Studi; his career has definitely been on the rise. Even if some post-LOTM roles were not earth shattering, he's been getting varied parts. He's not typecast as an Indian actor. He's building a well deserved reputation as a very, very good actor.  And he's producing films as well. 

: I'll be very happy to see Wes in something a little larger than his role in Heat and a little higher quality than Deep Rising.  He deserves better.

: Elaine:
: : In any event, we wanted to say that we would never expect everyone to agree with our opinions (MARCIA!!!). 

: Never thought for a minute you wouldn't welcome different points of view.  It's my OWN personal distaste for disagreeing with friends that holds me back sometimes.  

: Elaine:
: :We do like the feedback, whatever the viewpoint. And for what it's worth, we do think out our Musings and other additions before we put them up. 

: I'm sure you think them through very thoroughly.  They are well-written and well considered musings, and nine times out of ten, I find myself in complete agreement with you.  But this is an instance where we are going to have to agree to disagree, I think.  I'm willing to cut Maddy a little more slack, I guess.  Though I would definitely like to see her do something better, I don't think of her as the Queen of B movies at all.  But, hey, it's only my opinion...I could be wrong. ;o)

: Marcia


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