Saturday, August 16, 2008

My Hollywood Rant...




Those late summer nights mesmerized by flickering images on the television. Watching my Bette, Davis that is. She left scorch marks across her leading men. I think the first Bette Davis movie I saw was “Of Human Bondage” I was just a teenage girl of 13 or 14. I was enthralled! She was riveting as Mildred Rogers, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I think this movie is what cemented my love affair with classic movies. I drive my husband nuts. You can name a movie and I can tell you who was in it. What a useless talent to have!

Now, I see they have made a remake of one of my all time favorites. “The Women” with Meg Ryan in the Norma Shearer role. Hmmm, Meg Ryan or Norma Shearer? Please give me Miss Shearer. I physically cringed when I heard Ryan had the lead role. Sorry, but there is no comparison. What has happened in Hollyweird? They really seem to be out of ideas this past 10 or 15 years. They're always catering to the bubble gum crowd, which the movies consist of little more than explosions and big-breasted women and of course CGI. Ugh! There is only so much CGI I can take. Give me something with some meat, something to chew on! Give me leading actors that sizzle across the screen. We seem to have so few of them now. It seems an epidemic has hit our country. Everything is becoming substandard. Even our entertainment! Okay, I’ll quit whining now. Maybe I'm way off base, what do you think?

5 comments:

Melissa said...

"Of Human Bondage" with Bette Davis is one of the most powerful performances on film. Bette took a risk by taking that role and playing it the way she did. In that risk she broke the mode forever for the stereotypical woman that was being displayed at that time. Such a fantastic film & I slide in my dvd every so often to watch her performance.

As for the Women being remade? It whole idea made my stomach turn completely when I had read about this several months ago. It just can't be done and if so ~ with those actresses?? Meg Ryan doesn't have that kind of talent to pull it off. If I had to choose someone for the role that Norma played it might be Glenn Close. But, in reality - I don't want to see it redone.

I hope you can link to me through my comment dearie. I love your new page by the way and I traced the origins and found a new layout as well. Thank you ~ she is quite talented and has brilliant layouts that are so artistic with a vintage flair. Just glorious.

White Rose said...

I agree "The Women" was perfection! They should have left it alone.

You know the only one I see that has that talent and sizzle factor out of the new crop of American actresses is Scarlett Johanson. She was wonderful in Lost in Translation and Girl with the Pearl Earring. She has that face that the camera loves and she can really act.

Anonymous said...

Oh this is a topic I could talk for hours about! We're of similar minds...

paisley said...

i saw the commercial last night for the first time.. i am sick.. meg ryan??? i don't think so... and what will that movie possibly be without joan crawford??? come one... somethings are so much better left un-remade... there are millions of writers dying to sell a new script.. and they remake a classic.. no clue...

White Rose said...

I'm with you Paisley, so many writers and they keep giving us the same storyline. I also wonder who has the Rosalind Russell role. She was so funny in this movie.