After a hiatus that nearly sounded the death knell of Movie Hardball we are back to chat with ML “Don’t Call Me Ted” Kennedy and Scotty “The Body” Kubryk. In this edition we discuss the passing of Hollywood legend, Paul Newman and Kennedy prepares his sales pitch for a new movie that you all are going to love. Let’s get rolling.
1. Hollywood has seen the passing of quite a few big stars this year, including the recent death of Paul Newman. Which recently deceased star will Hollywood miss most? Which will you miss most?
Kennedy: Hollywood? The formerly ubiquitous voice-over master Don LaFontaine.
For me personally the biggest death of the year was that of M. Night
Shyamalan’s potential as an artist.
Scott: Most of the stars who’ve past were older (Newman) or whose accomplishments were exagerrated posthumously (Bernie Mac). The one who I’ll miss, and who Hollywood will miss, is Heath Ledger. I thought he was poised to become the next truly great actor, a big time movie star like the tradition of old, as opposed to being merely someone who’s just popular. His version of The Joker is to the current generation growing up what Brandon Lee’s character in The Crow was to mine; the sort to mourn, then to bastardize on t-shirts en-masse for a decade afterwards.
John: Admittedly, the question is a bit loaded as the “obvious” answer is Heath Ledger, though I love both of Kennedy’s answers. Even though I maintain M. Night Shamooley’s potential as an artist died after Signs. Personally, I’m gonna miss Charlton Heston. He was the first blockbuster machine and those unbelievably long films still hold up fairly well to today’s epic meaga-hits. Plus his involvment with the NRA later in life was the source of much unitentional comedy.
2. Continuing with Newman: which of his movies do you feel best represents his legacy?
Kennedy: For the early stuff, I’d go with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. For the
middle, let’s say Cool Hand Luke. For the twilight, let’s say
The Verdict.
There are a ton of other movies with Paul Newman that I enjoy (e.g.
The Hudsucker Proxy, Slapshot, The Sting), but
those three best represent Paul Newman movies.
Scott: What represents Newman’s legacy? Any answer to that starts with “Fast” Eddie Falson from Color of Money and The Hustler. They are his signature roles and the only one in which he won an Oscar. Cool Hand Luke has to be on there as well; one of the truly great roles and performances in film history (and my favorite of all time). Road to Perdition was Newman as a bad guy, which was interesting in and of itself. His role in The Verdict was dynamic and powerful, you can throw in The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid due to their significance in creating the buddy genre, and I’d end it with Cars. A terrific way to end his career.
John: After Newman died, I was sad to realize that I have not seen many of his movies. Of what I have seen (and even what I haven’t), I am smart enough to know that The Hustler is his defining role, that Cool Hand Luke is his most poignant, and that his work in The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is his most recognizable. I also give some respect to Nobody’s Fool, a late, great effort of his. For me, his legacy will always be the hilarious game of cards he plays against Robert Shaw in The Sting.
3. Robert Redford’s career is closely tied to Paul Newman. Thus, Redford has been considered the heir apparent to Newman’s position in Hollywood. Given Redford’s age, who would you say is the actual heir apparent to Newman and Redford? Are there any frequent collaborators that remind you of Newman and Redford?
Kennedy: First things first, while Newman/Redford is a classic movie duo, they
only made two movies together. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson have
made more movies together. What’s important here is not the frequency
of the collaboration, but how memorable such things are. With that in
mind, no. There are no frequent collaborators that remind me of Newman
and Redford. In my mind, the only similar duo would be between Cary
Grant and Jimmy Stewart in The Philadelphia Story.
As for the heir apparent portion of the question, I have no idea what
you’re talking about. Perhaps the question is what celebrity is going to
make delicious and affordable salad dressing and give the money to
charity? Steve Buscemi looks like the sort of fellow who could make a
really good balsamic-pesto vinaigrette.
Scott: Newman and Redford only collabarated twice, so I tend to think it was a bit over-rated. I love both BC&TSK and The Sting, but that was it.
Who would be the next generation version of the two of them? I’d have to go with Christian Bale (Newman) and Brad Pitt (Redford). Bale is the most versatile actor out there and Pitt is following a similar arc to Redford career-wise.
I’d say if you’re looking for a good combination of guys who could be the next Newman and Redford, it’s an easy answer. Bale and Russell Crowe. Both were fabulous in 3:10 to Yuma last year and I bet if they did something together again it’d be equally great.
John: Touche to the both of you. It does seem like Newman and Redford collaborated more often, I guess it was wishful thinking on my part. My pick for comparable duo would be Brad Pitt and George Clooney. A lot of what they do together onscreen and off seems to harken back to the days of Newman and Redford. After reading the various answers, I can see the vagueness of my question. But even I need a refresher on my movie knowledge every now and then.
4. Newman was one of the last of the old school style movie stars. It is a growing belief that Hollywood does not make stars like that anymore, but who do you see achieving Newman’s type of legendary status in the next 20 or 30 years?
Kennedy: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Will Smith. These are the guys who get
Oscar level recognition for their work, make popular movies, and don’t
let their personal lives overshadow their acting talents.
Scott: Newman truly was the last great movie star of his generation, as opposed to being someone who’s popular. That’s the knock on today’s stars, and I think the only one we’ll remember like that is Denzel Washington. He was the actor that broke the final color barrier in that everyone loves him, no matter what you are on the outside. He has that movie star charisma and every film he does feels like an event. You could probably throw Russell Crowe into that mix as well as Tom Cruise. Adam Sandler would probably be another as well. Bale would be a good pick, and I think Gerard Butler will probably find a couple more vehicles to harness that insane amount of screen presence he has.
John: Kennedy’s answer is as correct as an opinion question can be, and Scott had me up until Adam Sandler. I’m not a big fan of Russell Crowe, either, but I understand why people think he is great. Sandler though deserves some explanation. I’m all ears Scott. I won’t pick on Scott for Gerard Butler…yet. I might add Pitt, but per Kennedy’s criteria, he most definitely doesn’t keep his private life from overshadowing his acting talents, not always anyway. I think Julia Roberts is probably the only woman I could put on this list right now with any confidence.
5. Newman was also a big entrepreneur and humanitarian. Whose ventures outside Hollywood do you feel are on par or better than Paul Newman’s work?
Kennedy: None really. Here is a man that started a food empire and gives away
100 percent of the post-tax profits to charity. The line provides a
good product at a competitive price. It would be worth buying without
the charity angle. That’s the genius of it. It’s useful.
Nowadays, I got shit-headed Leo DiCaprio on my TV all the time whining
about climate change and the importance of voting. That little punk
couldn’t eat 5 hard-boiled eggs.
Scott: No one has done it better than Newman. He did it without the pomp, circumstance, or self-congratulary nature of today’s stars. He also lived his life in the same way he asked others to as well.
John: I agree with both. Hollywood sure is pleased with it’s philantropist efforts anymore. Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back Tinseltown. I think we all know Newman was a man of many hats. Zing!
6. What is your favorite Newman product? Why?
Kennedy: Heck, I don’t care. I just like to see him wear funny hats.
Scott: Newman’s own Cabernet Sauvignon. Terrrific red wine that’s reasonably priced.
John: You must love Newman’s Own salsa then, Kennedy. And who doesn’t love a couple Newman-Os with a tall glass of milk?
7th Inning Stretch – Beverly Hills Chihuahua: harmless kids flick or one step closer to the apocalypse?
Kennedy: I haven’t seen it, but my guess would be the former. If the world
survived TWO Baby Geniuses movies without a rain of fire and
bowls of angel wrath, it can certainly survive another CGI talking dog
picture.
Scott: Harmless flick. The true sign of the apocalypse is Oliver Stone’s W, where he finally proves that Platoon was a fluke miracle and that another great movie won’t ever come from him.
John: Ha, joke’s on you guys. I got you to admit Beverly Hills Chihuahua isn’t so bad. But seriously, the apocalypse already started with Alvin and the Chipmunks. I’d argue for Stone’s JFK, but now is not the time.
8. In honor of the upcoming World Series (and the sport that “inspired” this column) let’s discuss baseball. What is your favorite baseball movie? Why?
Kennedy: Bull Durham. Philosophically, it is the most sound of the
baseball movies. “This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you
catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you
lose, sometimes it rains.”
Scott: Favorite baseball movie? That’s like asking me to name my favorite Bond girl or Arnold flick. Lots to choose from. Field of Dreams would have to be it, if I had to make a choice, as it’s the film that Kevin Costner will get an eternal reprieve from me for every bad film he does after.
John: If Kevin Costner was in The Sandlot, I would never have to make my case for it being the best baseball movie ever again.
9. What sport is best suited for the Sports Movie Formula? Why? What sports would you like to see given the underdog treatment?
Kennedy: Now the question is: what sport is left for the plucky underdog
treatment? What sport doesn’t have a definitive inspirational film
about it? Lacrosse? Synchronized diving? Curling?
Hell, just recently we even had dodgeball and beer games get their shots.
I’m going to have to say. . . Ultimate Frisbee: The Movie. The
champions are this team of Aikido Frisbee ninjas. The underdogs are a
team of overweight anime nerds. The nerds, called “Team Ranma 1/2”
make it into the playoff due to a freak lightning storm killing half
of the midget Frisbee team, “The Compact Discs.”
Then, Team Ranma discover that the geek girl that they were hesitant
to let into their club is actually a Romanian Frisbee champion, who at
age 6 beat Bobby Fischer in a game of Frisbee golf AKA Frolf. The team
has a big schism when she wants to change the team name to the “I Me
My Strawberry Eggs”, and the team captain want to change the name to
“Deathc*nt”.
Then they realize that they aren’t allowed to change their team name
via Ultimate Frisbee by-law 349-a-47-u.
We get a training montage set to a classic ’80s hair band jam, and Team
Ranma makes it to the finals! But on the first play the Romanian Geek
Girl is disqualified for severing the carotid artery of Team Aikido
Ninja Frisbee with a particularly nasty throw.
This stuff writes itself!
Scott: The underdog formula works best for football films, I think, because the tension is much readier in football. Baseball movies tend to thrive when they’re offbeat and basketball films really don’t click with the formula for some reason (Hoosiers notwithstanding). Football works it well.
A sport I’d like to see as an underdog tale . . .hmm. . .that’s tough. Junior Olympic pole-vaulting?
John: Ultimate Frisbee: The Movie; make it happen Hollywood! Let me know where I can order a “Deathc*nt” T-shirt.
Mama always said leave ’em laughing, so before I say goodbye I would like to share this piece of trivia with all you. It came from Kubryk and you can feel free to show off your newfound knowledge at your next cocktail party.
Fact: Shannon Dougherty’s penis is so big Hank Aarron used it to hit his record breaking home run.
