Dellamorte's Dugout: A Thought

Interesting point. The first time I saw Kill Bill 2, I couldn't avoid visions of Beatty. To my eyes, Carradine could pull off the mysterious badass (especially in 1, his smokey, grizzled voice killed), but not so much ultimate pussy master(at least unironicly). Since Tarantino wrote the part for him, I think a Beatty Bill would have enhanced some of the character beats,(or made it too on the nose) Some say Beatty could no longer bring the menace. I'd love to've seen him try. (It would've been a perfect coda to his career; completing an unofficial trilogy with Bonnie + Bugsy) I sigh sadly at missed opportunities like this .The final scenes between Uma & Beatty would've been facinating(almost meta). Then again I'm the guy who still longs for a McQueen Sundance!

Which Fly: Price or Goldblum? (i think I can guess)

I think Beatty would have been good, I think Carradine might be better. But Beatty woud make it a Beatty movie, while without him, it's the Uma show. Cronenberg Fly, natch.

More Blu-Ray shout outs: RoboCop, Untouchables, First Blood, The Getaway, Bonnie & Clyde, and Deliverance. Don't know your thoughts on Black Hawk Down, The Shining and Unbreakable (love or hate titles), but if you dig-they look fantastic!

On the other hand, TOWN & COUNTRY would have been a cult classic had it featured David Carradine hanging in a window with is pants around his ankles.

While Beatty may be able to pull of the dialogue, I don't think he could really pull of martial arts master machismo. You don't even have to see Carradine do any fighting to have that in the back of your mind that this guy comes from this world. I see Beaty, I see Dick Tracy, and that's not a good thing. Just think if Leonardo DiCaprio would have gotten American Psycho. Bale is by far the better choice, but was not the first.

Beatty played badass before, and he did it smooth. Ever seen Bugsy? On the other hand, Carradine seems like the kind of guy who has to pay for sex. (I mean how much pussy can ya get bragging you fought Chuck Norris in Lone Wolf McQuade. Or stole a tv series away from Bruce Lee!)

I agree with Dre that a Beatty Bill might overshadow everything; make it a Beatty movie. Still I would've loved to have seen Q.T. try to reel him in. There's the potential of disaster. But if it came off, it would've been facinating; arguably a more interesting film.

Yo, Dre. You're killing 'em softly on the MB's. The CHUD list discussion thread's painful to read. Respect, you and the few others trying to make something of it. <I'm a Goonies apologist, but you brought the valid arguement. Also, great points on Boogie>

About BluRay. The 6th Day is coming out. It's got more than one Schwartzenegger!!! (Talk about yer zany fun) Plus, Robert Duvall as the scientist! (Good Lord, I'm bored) Seriously, White Dog is coming out later this year on Criterian. Know you're a Sam Fuller nut, any thoughts?

Any thoughts on a Costner Bill? Personally, I'm glad he did OPEN RANGE. (Love that flick!) And I'm afraid his Bill would've forever tainted FANDANGO!

BRUNDLEWHAT

As I've come to love the Costner, I would have liked to see that. But Beatty would have meant something a little more interesting in the scheme of things, and Carradine is a worthy replacement. Again, it's Uma's movie. I grabbed The Wild Bunch this week. I might grab Black Hawk Down, but since I have the three disc, I'm slightly wary of double dips where I'm not getting all the content of SD, while then not being able to ditch my SD. Even though I will likely never watch those sups again. I like the idea that they're around, that's for sure. I think The Searchers is next on the list. I didn't realize this discussion had kept going. Sorry.

Yeah, that 3-disc BHD is hard to beat. The very definition of special edition. The SEARCHERS is hard to argue with. You say you've come to love the Costner. Didn't dig in the 80's? Had me pretty much from SILVERADO on. I think it was Ebert who called him our Gary Cooper. If you're a fan, it's hard to dispute. His Cooper-ness is a big factor in what makes FIELD OF DREAMS work. And his humble(yet, slightly cocky tough), all-american boy persona makes him perfect casting choices for UNTOUCHABLES + JFK. (To my eyes, his mid-80's-early 90's run rivals Ford's late 70's to mid 80's run. Sad to see him persona no grada to geek nation today)

Never cared for Silverado. Still, feel the need to watch it in tandem with Raiders every now & then. Do you think Open Range will be remembered with, if not the all-time greats, the best modern westerns?

Getting back to the original point, I don't see how a more respectable Kill Bill would affect the Grindhouse/Death Proof reaction. The critics, few and far between though they were, who got it got it. A triumphant, Beatty led K.B., followed up by this would've really brought out the jackals. The critics, smelling blood, would eat this so-called Tarantino "vanity project" alive. Sadly, no way for Kurt Russell to win either way.

Amazon.com is having a buy 2 get 1 free Blu-ray sale, so I bought two Anchor Bay's (Day of the Dead and Evil Dead 2) and Black Hawk Down. And The Searchers. So, I'm a sucker, and I'll probably trade in all those titles on SD this weekend for the BR of Purple Rain. Costner I held Dances with Wolves against, since I first saw it at 14, and was even more of a dilettante then than I am now. I loved The Postman ironically, but I've come to just appreciate Costner for his Costner-ness, and not just as a well used prop by Brian De Palma. Kill Bill was a grindhouse effort, but Tarantino - following Jackie Broan and Kill Bill, was still something of an Oscar darling. If Beatty had been in it, that melange of great actors and B-movie stars would have more of a balance. I think had Beatty anchored it, critics might have treated a little more seriously, and might have forgiven Grindhouse, whcih a lot of people considered wanking. On a tangential note, I saw Tarantino last night. Didn't talk to him though. He enjoyed Mondo Cane. That he did. You could hear him cackle at numerous points.

{Now see, he could've settled this!} Nice choice w. Purple Rain. I heard the sound mix was awesome. It's been a while, but pure rock n' roll attitude; the opening almost A Hard Day's Night level goodness. (Thrusts ya right into the fantasy) Prince, cocky cool like a young Elvis-This eleven yr. old white boy wanted to be him.(Always pissed me off , the blatant racism of mainstream rock radio<then + now>. Oh, the wasted request line calls demanding they play Let's Go Crazy after Photograph). Give it up for Morris Day & the Time!(I'm still doin' the Bird!) Apollonia, the beautiful ones hurt you all the time. (I would think a Blu-ray Evil Dead 2 misses the point-I love to watch horror on battered VHS) And "Dilettante"? Oh, you! The thing about Dances, overwrought & P.C. that it is, the Costner-ness sells it. Like Jimmy Stewart in Broken Arrow, that earnest integrity is needed. Forgetting Beatty, do you think if K. Russell had more critical respect/starpower juice it would've made a difference re. Death Proof?

{About "Schindler's List" article} Excellent read. Well written, insightful critique. Agree almost in total. However w. the resurgence of anti-semitism & rising holocaust denial, the points needed to be brought w. as much emotional impact as possible. Doesn't sometimes the message trump the art?(i.e Ford at war, Shoah) Spielberg's new found adult voice, honed on Purple + Empire, prevents the maudlin from overwhelming(least for me). He never flounders or overplays his hand like Kramer or Preminger. His artistic touches don't take me out, just enhance the view. The denouement's been criticized here before. Hard to disagree. 'Cept to say I'm a sentimentalist. Can't watch w.o. losing it completely. Again, does the audience need to see that? I say yes. It was earned + we need to feel. (Adult Spielberg: Munich the best, Schindler most important)