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William Friedkin discussion moved here.

Arthur Schmidt, editor of all of Robert Zemeckis’ films between Back to the Future and Cast Away, as well as one of my personal favorites, Kevin Reynolds’ Fandango

Luis Alarcón, one of the stars of Ruiz's debut feature Three Sad Tigers as well as the two posthumous features Valeria Sarmiento completed, The Tango of the Widower and Its Distorting Mirror and The Wandering Soap Opera.

Robbie Robertson of the Band. One of my favorite groups.

EDIT: I'm sure "leader" in that headline is going to piss some people off, during their peak years it was very much a democratic band even though The Last Waltz made it look otherwise. I will say that criticism about Robertson's songwriting credits, stemming from Levon Helm's accusations later in life, do seem grossly exaggerated upon closer scrutiny.

Wow, he was still actively scoring Scorsese's films too, which to me really demonstrated his versatile talents beyond the Band hits. His composition skills in crafting "Acadian Driftwood" alone earns him the accolades, though The Band is probably my favorite group from that classic period so the enthusiasm goes beyond there subjectively

Not being too musically inclined, I first noted Robertson through a Moviedrome screening of Carny, which I think is kind of an essential companion piece 'carny lifestyle' film that works great in a double bill with Freaks.

Robertson is one of the finest songwriters in rock history. Imagine writing numerous songs of that high quality. The Weight could (and has) literally been sung by anyone, which few songs could argue. Inspired by Bunuel, apparently! Listening to It Makes No Difference is tough enough as it is, more so now.

And it goes without saying, a great guitarist. Even though they famously avoided showboating, their records have quite a few amazing pithy solos from Robertson. Their best and most popular one, The Band, even closes with one of his best. Rock of Ages may very well have his best guitar playing with "The Band" but when it was mostly "The Hawks" and touring with Dylan, they were amazing in a grittier, more visceral way. The electric set of the Liverpool show from the 1966 tour is my favorite, but it's heard throughout that entire tour.

Bummer of week. Robertson managed to complete his work Killers of the Flower Moon which seems like a hell of a thing to go out on as final work.

Sixto Rodriguez (of Searching for Sugar Man fame)

Jamie Reid, probably most famous for creating the art for key Sex Pistols records and posters in the 1970s, shaping the visual language of the nascent punk movement. For the group’s single “God Save the Queen,” Reid used a photo of Queen Elizabeth,covering her eyes and mouth with text. That image sparked tremendous controversy. Walking down the street with it emblazoned on his shirt, the artist was attacked by a gang and his leg was broken. In the ensuing decades, Reid remained committed to anti-establishment art and politics, and collaborated with Pussy Riot and Shepard Fairey.

Johnny Hardwick, voice of one of television's greatest characters, Dale Gribble. Sh-sha.

Brice Marden, the influential abstract and minimalist painter.

I'm not sure if these were mentioned, but they seem to have passed under the radar.

Aurora Cornu, Romanian poet and novelist, who more or less played herself in Rohmer's Claire's Knee. She
passed away in March, 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_Cornu



Also, Manolo Sanlucar, master flamenco guitarist, who appeared in both Carlos Saura films Flamenco
and Flamenco Flamenco. He passed away in August, 2022.
https://cordopolis.eldiario.es/cultura/ ... 70871.html

I thought that was Joaquin Phoenix jamming out on the old Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters set

UK chat show host Michael Parkinson at 88. He interviewed many celebrities during his two runs, first on the BBC and then ITV (off the top of my head in terms of Criterion releases there is a 1975 BBC episode of Parkinson interviewing Henry Fonda on the Young Mr. Lincoln disc; and a 1988 ITV interview with Terence Stamp on The Hit).

In terms of films, he turns up playing himself in The Damned United and Love Actually, but has a couple more unexpected appearances. He cameos in the Amicus/AIP co-produced horror film Madhouse and most notoriously turned up in the 1992 ghost story for Halloween Ghostwatch where his presence (as well as other BBC presenters Mike Smith, Sarah Greene and Craig Charles) did a lot to add to the verisimilitude of the situation and cause an Orson Welles War of the Worlds-style panic among viewers, especially at the (spoiler):

Spoiler

ending where it is revealed that the broadcast has unwittingly been a kind of national live seance, with viewers channelling their energy into this specific haunting, and the ghost escapes into the studio, possessing Parky, before a cut to the credits!

Ghostwatch (the 'true story' basis of which was later used as the plot for The Conjuring 2) got a really great UK Blu-ray edition at the end of last year from 101 Films.

Although after all that, the greatest foe that Parkinson ever faced (aside from Emu!) was a taciturn Meg Ryan.

He also stood in for Barry Norman as presenter of Film 86, which wasn't an especially happy stint as it coincided with a whole load of graphic horror films that he clearly hated, plus Caravaggio, ditto (albeit for different reasons; he was affronted that taxpayers' money had funded it).

He particularly reviled Paul Verhoeven's Flesh + Blood, which he walked out of partway through, "and I'll tell you why".

MichaelB wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 5:52 pm He also stood in for Barry Norman as presenter of Film 86, which wasn't an especially happy stint as it coincided with a whole load of graphic horror films that he clearly hated, plus Caravaggio, ditto (albeit for different reasons; he was affronted that taxpayers' money had funded it)...

When I interviewed Jarman in May 1986 he recommended his supporters should adopt the same tactics as those of Mary Whitehouse: "I tell people to ring [the BBC] and complain as when Michael Parkinson attacked Carravagio on Film 86, ending, 'Let's go upstairs and do something natural and normal.'"

Above I quote Jarman. According to Keith Howes' book Broadcasting It, Parkinson's homophobic diatribe included, "I must report that Mr Jarman seems fond of photographing bums, of the male variety" and ended: "It was funded by the BFI so you and me paid for it. I'm demanding my money back... Now you just go upstairs and do normal things like old Biggles."

Amusingly if Parkinson was meaning the 1986 film version of Biggles in that quote as being 'nice and normal', that has the source of one of the two fundamentally scarring film images of my childhood in it (the other being the lady turned into the robot in Superman III), which is that moment after the sonic weapon downs an enemy pilot where one character in trying to see if the pilot is OK squishes his hand straight through the dead guy's sound-softened face. It may be something that my childhood memories have turned into more graphic than it was, but it certainly stuck with me and probably was the thing that first gave me a phobia of eye violence! (Of course a crash course of Lucio Fulci films fifteen years later somewhat helped me to come to terms with that!)

After that any bums being paraded in Caravaggio would seem pretty tame! Also, did Parky know that the figure of the nude was a kind of a thing in paintings?

Pavement's original drummer, Gary Young. (Young played with the band through their 1992 Watery Domestic EP, after which time Steve West took over behind the kit.)

hearthesilence wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:44 am Pavement's original drummer, Gary Young. (Young played with the band through their 1992 Watery Domestic EP, after which time Steve West took over behind the kit.)

An interesting figure in that he was the band’s benefactor, essentially subsidizing all of their early recording and touring. He was considerably older than the other members as well

Parkinson also conducted an 'interesting' interview with Helen Mirren in the mid 70s where he spent the whole time commenting on her 'attributes'.

MichaelB wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 5:52 pmhe was affronted that taxpayers' money had funded it

"Screw you, taxpayer!"

hearthesilence wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:03 pm Robbie Robertson of the Band. One of my favorite groups.

EDIT: I'm sure "leader" in that headline is going to piss some people off, during their peak years it was very much a democratic band even though The Last Waltz made it look otherwise. I will say that criticism about Robertson's songwriting credits, stemming from Levon Helm's accusations later in life, do seem grossly exaggerated upon closer scrutiny.

“Broken Arrow” from his self-titled solo album is a great song, covered in concert by the Grateful Dead, and Rod Stewart in the mid-90’s. I liked How to Become Clairvoyant a lot, for how he managed to weave in disparate guests such as Trent Reznor, on an original composition credited to Eric Clapton who appears on the album as well.

PfR73 wrote: Sat Aug 19, 2023 10:55 pm

MichaelB wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 5:52 pmhe was affronted that taxpayers' money had funded it

"Screw you, taxpayer!"

A truly dark insight into daily life in Justin Trudeau's Canada!

That Kids In The Hall piece reminds me a lot of that Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch about the costs of making the show. The same episode of which amusingly has a Parkinson sketch in it!